Omar Elabdellaoui arrival would surely spell the end of Ahmed Elmohamady’s Aston Villa career

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Aston Villa reportedly want Omar Elabdellaoui and this move would be bad news for Ahmed Elmohamady.

With Aston Villa among the clubs keen on Olympiacos and Norway right-back Elabdelloui (as per The Daily Mail), does this suggest Dean Smith is thinking to the future? Is Smith preparing for life without Elmohamady?

Guilbert and Elabdellaoui next season?

Elabdellaoui will become a free agent next summer, prompting Smith to consider making a pre-contract swoop. Leicester City, Bournemouth, Burnley, Watford and Celtic also want the 27-year-old but Aston Villa will be in contention.

If Elabdellaoui joins, he will be tasked with pushing Frederic Guilbert for starts. The former Caen defender, 24, has started the season in fine form. Guilbert and Elabdellaoui could be the Villa right-backs as the club enters a new era.

Does Elmohamady have any chance of staying?

If Smith has Guilbert and Elabdellaoui next season, this will surely spell the end of Elmohamady’s Villa career. The Egyptian defender is a back-up option for Guilbert at the moment and this would drop him to third-choice.

There are a couple of factors that could save the 31-year-old. He signed a new contract until 2021 earlier this season and Smith might want him to add experience and an option on the wing. But it is more likely that he will be leaving if the right offer comes in.

Bree to leave too?

If Elmohamady is pushed to third-choice, Bree will return from his loan spell as Villa’s fourth-choice right-back. Realistically, it is not going to work out for the young defender.

Elabdellaoui could join Aston Villa on a free transfer next summer. If he does, this could spark a chain reaction leading to two right-back departures in the West Midlands.