L’Equipe has recently reported that Aston Villa defender Frédéric Guilbert is set to go out on loan to join Strasbourg in the coming hours. In a recent interview with the Birmingham Mail, Dean Smith weighed in on the French right-back’s future and said,
“We bought Matty Cash in at the start of this season because we felt he was a good value, quality signing from the Championship who’s done ever so well. We’ve also got Elmo here and (Guilbert) probably wasn’t going to get the minutes with us having three right-backs. We want him to go out on loan, get minutes under his belt and come back here in the summer.”
Guilbert’s Lack Of First-Team Action This Season
The 26-year-old has found game time hard to come by at Villa Park this season. Guilbert has only made a couple of appearances for the Villans in the EFL Cup as he has often found himself behind Matty Cash and Ahmed Elmohamady in Dean Smith’s pecking order.
The Valognes-born sensation had a far more productive season in the last term when he participated in 29 matches for the West Midlands outfit, scoring two goals and earning two assists in all competitions. Guilbert was solid at the back but struggled to influence the game in the final third as he was averaging 3.0 tackles, 2.0 interceptions, 2.4 clearances, 0.5 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. He also lacked conviction when distributing the ball from the right flank as evident from his pass success rate of 68.9% in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The French Defensive Ace Offer On The Pitch?
Guilbert has decent pace in his locker and can make some energetic sprints with the ball down the right flank. He can be a solid presence on the defensive end of the field as long as he gets a regular run of games under his belt. However, Smith has failed to offer him such a luxury which has increased the player’s need to go out on loan during this winter transfer period.
On his day, Guilbert can read the danger quickly to earn possession back for his team. He is also quick to get back and clear his lines when under pressure from the opposition. However, there are some concerns over his consistency and end product in the final third.
Does Guilbert Have A Future At Villa Park?
A loan move to Strasbourg will do Guilbert’s confidence a world of good as he will finally get a chance to showcase his true worth back in his homeland. The French full-back is currently under contract at Villa Park until the summer of 2023, so the Villans can afford to wait before deciding on his long-term future at the end of this season. Therefore, Smith will hope for Guilbert to do well while on loan in the Ligue 1 so that he can come back as a better version of himself next summer.
As long as the Frenchman can find some form in France, he might still have a good shot at reviving his career at the West Midlands club. At 26, he is about to enter the prime years of his playing career, so only time will tell whether he has what it takes to succeed with the Villans at the highest level.
