Aston Villa can move forward only if they get rid of this £30,000-a-week old-school midfielder – Agreed?

Aston Villa Opinion: Lions should offload Birkir Bjarnason in the summer

According to a report from Birmingham Live, Aston Villa star Birkir Bjarnason turned down a chance to seal a move away from Villa Park in January to compete for a place in the first-team.

Villa completed an audacious swoop for Bjarnason in 2017 following his impressive displays for Iceland at Euro 2016 and he went on to establish himself as one of Steve Bruce’s trusted lieutenants in the midfield.

However, he has slipped down the pecking order since the arrival of Dean Smith, with the new manager favouring the likes of Conor Hourihane and John McGinn in central midfield.

The 30-year-old has started only 11 games in the Championship this season, scoring twice, but he has featured only once in the league since the end of January, with his six-minute cameo in the 1-0 victory over Birmingham City being his only involvement in recent times.

Bjarnason has made a total of 53 appearances in all competitions for the Lions but lack of regular minutes might persuade the veteran to look for greener pastures elsewhere in the summer.

He apparently wanted to gain the trust of Dean Smith by declining a move in January but things haven’t really changed for him, with the manager turning a blind eye to his presence.

Inspired by the return of talismanic playmaker Jack Grealish, Villa’s recent upturn of form has reinvigorated their hopes of securing a promotion playoff spot.

Villa haven’t hit top gear this season, with injuries and inconsistencies playing a major role, but a strong end to the campaign might see them make a much-anticipated return to the Premier League.

To put things into perspective, the Lions would need to add more depth and quality to their squad in the summer should they achieve promotion but Birkir Bjarnason is hardly the player that has any X-factor about his game.

That’s not to say he is a bad player but he doesn’t offer much in terms of attack.

More of an old-fashioned central midfielder who likes to move the ball around and break up the play, the Icelandic international doesn’t have the creativity in his armoury to compete with the likes of McGinn and Hourihane. He is, at best, a good squad player but certainly one that Villa can do without.

Moreover, keeping Bjarnason for another season would only increase the club’s wage bills.

The 30-year-old currently earns £30,000-a-week and that figure is expected to rise higher at the end of the season due to a yearly increment clause in his contract, reports Birmingham Mail.

Paying a fringe player such wages would make little sense for Villa irrespective of whether they secure promotion or not.

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Smith should look to increase competition for places in the midfield by bolstering the squad with some fresh blood in the summer.

Bjarnason has played a bit-part role this season and it would be difficult for the manager to accommodate him in his first-team plans for the upcoming season as well. Hence, a move away from Villa Park would be a win-win situation for all parties involved.