Aston Villa defender Wilfred Bouma will leave the club when his contract expires next month.

The 31-year-old left-back has failed to make a single first-team appearance since breaking his ankle in an Intertoto Cup tie back in the summer of 2008.

Before that the Netherlands international had been a regular for the Midlands club following his arrival three years earlier from PSV Eindhoven.

"Freddie epitomises the kind of qualities we associate with top Dutch players and he has been really unfortunate to have been sidelined because of injury," manager Martin O'Neill told the club's official website.

"That came as a real blow because, as a player, I have the utmost regard for him and he has been a totally positive influence at the club throughout my time here.

"He has fought back strongly to get himself fit again and he really wants to get back to the level of which he is undoubtedly still capable, so he wants to take this opportunity to do that and I wish him only the best."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email