Villa may look to ship out Gabby Agbonlahor

Gabby Agbonlahor could depart Aston Villa this summer despite no action being taken against the striker following a club investigation into his conduct.

The claret and blues' longest-serving player was left out of the squad for Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Chelsea.

It came after the club's football board opted to look into his exploits while on holiday in Dubai during the recent international break.

A photograph of Agbonlahor apparently smoking on a shisha pipe featured on the front of a national newspaper.

Yet, while the club's investigation concluded the striker had not broken any rules, the incident will likely prove further evidence of the need to move on a player who has scored just once in the last 13 months.

Villa were prepared to sell Agbonlahor, who still has two years to run on his current contract, during the January transfer window but a deal failed to materialise.

Though the 29-year-old will take a pay cut when the club drop into the Championship, he will remain among their top earners.

Agbonlahor is now back in the squad for Saturday's game with Bournemouth, though it remains to be seen whether caretaker boss Eric Black will grant the forward an instant recall.