Gabby Agbonlahor’s exit would signal start of new era for Aston Villa

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Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor’s tenure with the club seems set to come to an end.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has been on the books at Villa Park for the better part of 17 years now and, while his service to the club is valued by supporters, it seems as if now is the time for the forward to say goodbye to his boyhood team.

As reported by the Telegraph, it seems almost certain at this point that the 31-year-old will finally say goodbye to Aston Villa after many years of inconsistency and uncertainty surrounding his future. It has been a long time coming but, while it may be upsetting to see for some Villa fans, it rings in the dawning of a new era at the club.

For a long time now it has almost seemed as if Agbonlahor was being kept around for appearances in the second city derby and nothing else. While his determination when on the pitch has not wavered, his overall impact led many to believe that he is not a top-level forward in any sense of the word anymore.

Under Steve Bruce, it’ seems as if he has been awarded few chances to shine and, while he has added a few more moments into his historic Villa career, this is where the road needs to come to an end. It has been a long journey, and Villa fans will not forget some of the memories he provided them in the Premier League, but now is the time to stop pretending that he can make a difference in this squad.

In this ‘new era’, Villa will not be hanging on to nostalgia for the sake of appeasing the fans, which is what this has felt like in the last few years. Many fans look at Agbonlahor and think back fondly to the times when they were challenging for a spot in the top four, but now they need to stop living in the past and instead begin planning for the future.

This crop of young talent at Villa seems hungrier than any incarnation of their squad in years, with the likes of Jack Grealish leading the way. Agbonlahor is still more than capable of getting a job done, perhaps at a lower level, but if Villa want to start planning for the top flight again then this needs to happen.

It may not be a universally popular decision, but it is one that will benefit the club in the long run.