Gabby Agbonlahor has made a major claim about Aston Villa loanee Frederic Guilbert following his move to Strasbourg in the summer transfer window.

What's the story?

The Frenchman spent the previous campaign on loan at the Ligue 1 side, and despite returning for pre-season at Villa Park and even featuring in the Carabao Cup second round clash against Barrow, was sent back to Strasbourg for a year once more.

And now, Agbonlahor has claimed that Villa fans have seen the last of Guilbert, and that his future lies elsewhere.

He said: "I think Aston Villa will have tried to get rid of him on a permanent, he didn’t really play much. You’ve got Axel Tuanzebe there as cover for Matty Cash and Ashley Young as well.

"I’m sure they were trying to get rid of him on a permanent but maybe his wages and the fee that Villa want put clubs off. There have not been clubs knocking at the door. I don’t see him playing again for Aston Villa. I see his future definitely being away from the club."

Fans will be fuming

In a Q&A for The Birmingham Mail, Ashley Preece responded to a question about why the Smith decided to let him go, by saying: "Not sure, just doesn't fancy him at all. A shame because he seems a good guy who always put it all on the line for Villa."

A number of Villa fans have already made their feelings clear about Guilbert on several occasions, first slamming the decision to actually let him leave on loan for Strasbourg back in January and suggesting they should've kept him, then urging Smith to give him a chance in pre-season earlier this summer after his spell away.

The fact he got on the score-sheet and helped set up another in that thrashing of Barrow - albeit a team lingering in the lower divisions - just went to show what solid cover he could have given Smith as a back-up for first-choice right-back Matty Cash.

Ashley Young is not a typical right-back and age isn't on his side, while the likes of Axel Tuanzebe and Ezri Konsa are both centre-backs by trade too.

It's exactly why Agbonlahor's claim that Villa fans will never see Guilbert play for them again is sure to have them fuming.

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