Frederic Guilbert has accused Aston Villa of being dishonest towards him in regards to their plans for him this season, following a summer of transfer speculation.
The Frenchman told the We Are Malherbe podcast (via Birmingham Live): ‘A move to FC Nantes fell through. It would have been a loan. Michel Audrain, who I knew in Caen, contacted me. I had the manager, Gourcuff, on the phone and he wanted to have me and everything but, after that, there was nothing from the club’s presidency.
Speaking about his return to Villa, he said: ‘At the moment, I don’t play at all. I was told that I was the third choice for the position, and it’s the managers choice that must be respected. I don’t think they were completely honest with me on all points of view going into (this) season.’
This is a very strange situation.
After arriving from Caen in a deal worth £4.5 million last summer, Guilbert enjoyed a solid debut campaign at Villa Park, making 25 Premier League appearances as the club avoided relegation.
In that season, he ousted Ahmed Elmohamady to become Dean Smith’s first choice right-back.
Now however, as he states in his interview, he is third choice behind new signing Matty Cash and the Egyptian.
Quite how the former Hull full-back, aged 33, jumped back ahead of Guilbert remains to be seen.
Additionally, to come out and accuse the club of being dishonest about his situation is a big statement, and one which could presumably affect his status among the squad even more.
So far this term, the Valognes-born defender has only made two appearances, both coming in the Carabao Cup.
He is still able to leave Villa Park to join a club in the Championship, League One or League Two as a result of the domestic deadline, which lands on October 16th.
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