Aly Cissokho looks certain to leave Aston Villa this summer after falling down the pecking order, and he could be heading to the Turkish Super Lig.
It’s not so long since Aly Cissokho was rated as one of the game’s most exciting young full-backs. Impressing at FC Porto, the Frenchman’s move to Lyon in 2009 appeared to be a stepping stone in his journey to a bonafide European superclub.
And though Cissokho did spend the 2013/14 season on loan at Liverpool, the left-back’s potential has gone unfulfilled. Now, at the age of 29, he looks increasingly likely to continue his stalling career in the Turkish Super Lig, which is hardly the home to players at the very top of their game.
Cissokho managed only 15 Premier League appearances for Liverpool
The sporting director of Malatayaspor, promoted to the Turkish top flight last season, insists that a deal is close to rescue Cissokho from his Aston Villa nightmare.
“There are a few minor issues to resolve with Aston Villa and then the transfer will go ahead,” Ali Ravci said in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail.
Cissokho has been contracted to Aston Villa since the summer of 2014 but it’s fair to say he won’t be missed in the Midlands. The one-time France international has failed to make much of a positive impact in claret and blue despite initially featuring heavily during the reign of Tim Sherwood.
Furthermore, after a loan spell at former club Porto, Cissokho returned to Villa’s first team under Roberto Di Matteo at the start of last season, making 12 Championship appearances before the appointment of Steve Bruce and Jordan Amavi’s long-awaited return to fitness after a year on the sidelines.
Cissokho spent the second half of last season at Greek giants Olympiakos while Villa reinforced their left-back options with the signing of Neil Taylor from Swansea City.
And now it appears that the 29-year-old has no future at Villa Park.
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