Journalist Dan Bardell claims that Bertrand Traore will be free to leave Aston Villa at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Despite costing the Villa £20 million when he signed from Lyon in 2020, the writer doesn’t think Traore has been a “bad signing” for the team. However, he did acknowledge that he won’t be “massively missed” when his contract is up in May.
“I think he’ll probably be gone at the end of the season when I believe his contract is up. He’s a squad player, who will essentially come in and play the odd game in the Europa Conference League group stage and get minutes here and there in the Premier League.
“But realistically, he’s probably never going to be a starter for Villa. I think overall, he’s been a decent signing because his first season in terms of his goals and assists was pretty high in that lockdown season.
“Even last season when he was recalled from his loan, no one really expected to see anything of him, but he did score a couple of important goals. He scored the winners against Leicester away and Bournemouth at home, which were part of Villa’s journey into qualifying for Europe, so I actually don’t think he’s been a bad signing.
“Even though I think he cost around £20million, they have done okay out of him. He will end up leaving and going on a free, but I don’t think that’s one that will massively concern Villa because, as they are looking to build, some players who aren’t first-team players will fall by the wayside and Villa will look to improve.
“I’d expect him to go at the end of the season and everyone at Villa to wish him well with his career, but he won’t be one who’s massively missed because he isn’t going to get into Villa’s best lineup I don’t believe.”