Steve Bruce says Gabriel Agbonlahor could be like a new signing for Aston Villa

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The Villa boss is confident that their record Premier League scorer can still have a future at the club.

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has told reporters, as quoted by the Mirror, that Gabriel Agbonlahor could be like a new signing for the club if he can return to form and full fitness.

Agbonlahor, Villa’s all-time record Premier League goalscorer, has not played for his boyhood club since March, and scored just once in 18 appearances last season as he struggled with fitness issues.

The 30-year-old fell out with former manager Remi Garde before being placed on a strict training programme by Eric Black, and did not even get a look-in under Roberto di Matteo.

However, the noises coming from Bruce in recent weeks have suggested that the striker could yet have a future at his only professional club if he can prove he is ready.

Bruce has revealed that Agbonlahor has asked to travel with the squad to St. Andrew’s for the derby against Birmingham City on Sunday despite not being fit, and suggested that the former England international could return to action in the next four to six weeks and be a breath of fresh air for Villa in the second half of the season.

The Villa boss said, via the Mirror: “He came to me and said: ‘can I come [to the derby] to support the team?’ so it shows you that he’s trying his best and wants to get involved.

“Hopefully by the next four-six weeks he’ll be ready. If he’s ready physically, we all know Gabby has played at the highest level all of his life.

“If we can get him fit and firing then who knows – the second half of the season, he could be like a new signing walking through the door. At the moment he has got the bit between his teeth which is good to see.”

Villa fans are likely to be sceptical about Bruce’s latest comments; a former terrace hero, Agbonlahor’s fall from grace has been remarkable in recent times, and many supporters believes he has no future at the club.

However, Agbonlahor will be hugely disappointed to miss out on playing in the second city derby, a fixture in which he has been the matchwinner in previous years, and that should serve as motivation to get fit and firing as soon as possible.