In a recent edition of the We Are Malherbe podcast (transcripted and translated by Birmingham Mail), Aston Villa defender Frederic Guilbert has spoken out on his failed transfer to FC Nantes this summer as he said, “A move to FC Nantes fell through. It would have been a loan. Michel Audrain, who I knew in Caen, contacted me. I had the manager, Gourcuff, on the phone and he wanted to have me and everything but, after that, there was nothing from the club’s presidency.”
The French right-back shared his thoughts on his current situation at Villa Park and went on to add, “At the moment, I don’t play at all. I was told that I was the third choice for the position, and it’s the managers choice that must be respected. I don’t think they were completely honest with me on all points of view going into (this) season.”
Guilbert’s Recent Frustrations At Aston Villa
The 25-year-old made two appearances for the Villans this season in the EFL Cup but couldn’t help them avoid getting knocked out of the competition by Stoke City at the start of this month. The Valognes-born full-back endured a difficult season at the West Midlands club last term when he struggled to be productive with his performances down the right-wing.
Guilbert featured in 29 matches for Dean Smith’s team in the previous campaign, scoring two goals and securing two assists across all competitions. He had to do a lot of defending in the last term as evident from his average of 3.0 tackles, 2.0 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per game in the Premier League. However, the Frenchman was guilty of throwing away possession when distributing the ball from the right after he completed only 68.9% of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
What Are The French Right-Back’s Best Attributes?
Guilbert has got decent pace under his belt, but is not the best dribbler with the ball down the right flank. He has got the strength to be a dominant presence inside his half and can make some well-timed tackles to secure possession back for his side.
The French full-back is often quick to scan the danger that allows him to pull off a few crucial interceptions at the back. However, the lack of game time is harming his progress at Villa Park, so he has every right to feel hard done by his current employers this summer.
Does Guilbert Have A Future At Villa Park?
At the moment, Guilbert finds himself behind the likes of Matty Cash and Ahmed Elmohamady in Smith’s pecking order. Thus, he is surplus to requirements at the West Midlands club and needs to move on in search of more first-team football as soon as possible.
With all things considered, it seems like Guilbert does not have any future at Villa Park, so both the player and the club should work towards finding a speedy solution so that he can move on in search of more success in the years to come.
