5 former Aston Villa players we can’t believe are still free agents
Aston Villa have loads of former players at other clubs, but there are more than a few surprising names that are surprisingly unattached despite having not yet retired.
Of course, players like Ashley Young and James Milner are still active but we wanted to dig a little deeper and find those whose current unemployment has raised an eyebrow or two.
We’ve picked out five former Villa players that we can’t believe are currently without a club.
Anwar El Ghazi
El Ghazi’s current unemployment is the subject of much controversy.
Having moved to Bundesliga side Mainz over the summer, he was suspended following a social media post which included the controversial phrase “from the river to the sea”, a pro-Palestinian message which critics say implies the destruction of Israel.
Despite lifting the suspension, Mainz terminated his contract a few days later and said in a statement: “FSV Mainz 05 is ending the contractual relationship with Anwar El Ghazi and terminated the player with immediate effect.
The club is taking this measure in response to the player’s statements and posts on social media.”
The former Villa player is unrepentant and continues to post pro-Palestinian messages on social media as the war with Israel escalates.
Lewis Grabban
A true Football League journeyman, Grabban scored eight goals in 15 appearances for Villa during the 2017-18 season as the club reached the Championship play-off final.
After four seasons at Nottingham Forest, finally helping the former European champions return to the top flight of English football, the striker spent last season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Alhi.
Now 35, there’s surely a lower-league side crying out for Grabban’s incredible eye for goal.
WATCH: Lewis Grabban looks left, looks right, then decides to go alone. Great strike!
Aston Villa lead Middlesbrough 1-0 on aggregate in the Championship play-off semi-final.
Watch it on Sky Sports Main Event and Football or follow it here: https://t.co/NS1UdRaxmB pic.twitter.com/QcUAdXfdkN
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 15, 2018
Jed Steer
Steer was at Villa Park for 10 years between 2013 and 2023, except for a few loan spells, and made 36 appearances as the club’s back-up goalkeeper during that time.
Still only 31, his shot-stopping expertise would surely suit a host of Football League clubs.
Josh Onomah
Technically, Onomah has always been a superb footballer, but his fitness record of late has been his undoing – as he showed during 33 appearances for Villa in 2017-18.
The 26-year-old barely featured during his final season with Fulham and he didn’t exactly set the world alight while on a short-term contract with Preston North End.
He was most recently training with Stoke City but was not offered a professional deal.
As Josh Onomah’s #FFC career comes to an end after 76 appearances – let’s remember his Maradonomah heroics 😳
pic.twitter.com/OkyW0gYCtG— Rhys Daly (@RhysDalySport) January 31, 2023
Harrison Sohna
Sohna made his senior Villa debut as a substitute in a 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool in January 2021. It would prove to be his sole appearance for the club.
The young midfielder was released at the end of the 2020-21 season and spent the next two campaigns at Sunderland.
Alas, Sohna wasn’t retained by the Championship side and is currently unattached at the age of 21.
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