Photo: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
Former Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore believes that the Villans need to replace Ahmed Elmohamady before the start of the Premier League season.
Aston Villa secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time in three years after beating Derby County in the Championship playoffs final.
This marked Elmohamady’s third Premier League promotion after clinching it twice during his time with Hull City.
Next season will be his seventh in the top tier after making 165 appearances in the Premier League for both Sunderland and the Tigers.
Despite his experience, former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore believes that the club will need to replace both full backs, Ahmed Elmohamady and Neil Taylor, if they want to cement their spot in the Premier League.
Love Elmo, Taylor but i don't see the engine, legs or strength that modern fullbacks need now.
All for rewarding guys for promotion and all for loyalty, but I'm more for not showing any sentiment.
All progressive clubs are ruthless and we must be a progressive club. https://t.co/iS0JiMF2CI
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) June 13, 2019
Since joining Villa back in July 2017 the 31-year-old has played a vital role in the club’s success as he played a total of 87 games, providing 13 assisting and scoring twice along the way.
This season alone he appeared on 42 occasions across all competitions and assisted twice, including a decisive cross in playoffs final.
Elmohamady has been named as the Pharaohs’ captain for the upcoming AFCON, and has got off to a good start, scoring the winner as Egypt downed Tanzania in a pre-AFCON friendly.