Surprise Surprise! Yacouba Sylla set to quit Aston Villa

Yacouba Sylla today said he wants to quit Villa.

The midfielder claims he is "no longer the same man" after failing to make an impression this season.

Sylla has made just six starts this term with the last coming in the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in December.

He has not dislodged Fabian Delph, Karim El Ahmadi and Ashley Westwood from the midfield and admitted he is eyeing a temporary switch.

He said: "There are a lot of teams I could contribute to. I think I will leave on loan at the end of the season. I could already have done so in December but the gaffer told me that he was counting on me.

"What I want, is to come back to France, on loan for one year to a good club, a team with a good project.

"My agent Moussa Sissoko is working for that and there are interested clubs.

"Again, the most important thing for me is to play. I am no longer the same man, not the same player. I cannot wait to change all that again."

Sylla signed from Clermont in January 2013 and played 11 times as Villa secured their Premier League safety in the final week.

And he insisted he hasn't given up hope of making an impact under Paul Lambert.

"I am always on the bench and never on the pitch," he said.

"Even if I do get to visit some wonderful stadiums and that life here is different than in France, I am not happy because I am not playing.

"My situation is not as dramatic as I have just made it sound but for somebody who loves football and does not get to play, I cannot be happy because I am not expressing myself on the pitch every weekend.

"It encourages me to keep hope. I am working hard in training. Last season, I contributed to keeping the club from relegation. This season it is more complicated.

"There have been decisions that I did not understand and I have not got the game time I had hoped for."