Just 13 months have passed since Fabian Delph, Christian Benteke, and Jack Grealish tore Liverpool apart in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and Aston Villa’s future – symbolised by the youthful buzz of those three perfectly synchronising players – seemed laden with possibility. Nobody could have predicted the magnitude of the collapse that would follow.

A year rife with internal investigations, mass boardroom resignations, player suspensions, and gutless performances on the pitch has seen Villa sink meekly into the Championship, whilst the trio of players that once promised a bright future are now strewn across the Premier League – two stagnating in Manchester and Liverpool, the other fading away in Villa’s reserves. This has been the most catastrophic period in Aston Villa’s 142 year history; an era defined by wasted talent and wasted opportunity.

But surprisingly enough, the squad on a run of eleven straight defeats is not entirely without merit, and indeed there are four players that Premier League clubs should be looking to pluck from Birmingham at a reduced price. The heartache for Villa fans is not over yet.

Idrissa Gueye

The Senegalese international has been outstanding in his first season in England, despite being handed the near-impossible task of sewing together a mishmash collection of half-hearted footballers. A box-to-box central midfielder equally adept at breaking up the play, weaving through the middle, and distributing the ball under pressure, Gueye has been an excellent replacement for Delph.

Gueye has made 134 tackles and 139 interceptions this season, a tally bettered only by Leicester City’s N’Golo Kante. Villa’s dreadful season has left Gueye’s talents largely undiscovered in the media, but his phenomenal statistics (he is also Villa’s best passer, with 53.3 per match, and fourth best dribbler, with 2.0 per match) will have earned him the attention of many Premier League managers. If Gueye can control midfield with Kante-like precision at a club like Villa, just think what he could at a mid-table club…

Possible destination: The likes of Everton, Swansea, or Stoke are all in need of a midfield destroyer. He would be a low risk option for bigger sides like Spurs and Liverpool, and could be a good replacement for Kante at Leicester should the Frenchman move on.

Jordan Ayew

Although Jordan Ayew has only netted seven times this season the Ghanaian international has shown, in flashes, that he has the potential to become a solid Premier League centre forward. His intelligence, quick feet, and strength in possession have made him a valuable outlet on the counter-attack for Villa this season.

Ayew does not possess the attributes required to lead the line in attack but could certainly be a useful winger/inside forward for a host of mid-table clubs, and at 24 has plenty of time to improve. His direct runs in the final third have been one of the few points of excitement at Villa Park this season (2.3 dribbles per match), and it seems unlikely that fans will see more of him in 2016/17.

Possible destination: West Ham are rumoured to be interested in Ayew, and for good reason. His explosion style fits neatly with Slaven Bilic’s tactical approach, and Ayew’s relationship with former Marseille team-mate Dimitri Payet means he would adapt quickly to life in East London.

Jordan Amavi

Jordan Amavi was highly regarded in Europe before his move to Aston Villa last summer and within a few short weeks it was easy to see why. The 22-year-old Frenchman quickly became the focal point of every Villa attack, bombing down the left and slinking his way to the byline over and over again; he amassed two assists in his first nine appearances, averaging an impressive 2.6 dribbles and 4.0 crosses per match. And then he picked up a cruciate knee ligament on under-21 duty.

His season cut so short, Amavi did not get the chance to make his mark on the Premier League, or respond to critics who suggested his commitment to attack can leave his team-mates over-exposed on the counter. His average of 3.6 interceptions and 3.7 tackles per match puts him amongst the most statistically impressive full-backs in the division, but his propensity to fly into tackles and dribble the ball out of defence proved costly several times in September and October. Amavi is not the finished article, but he is a very promising player – and too good for Championship level.

Possible destination: a lack of experience could hinder his chances of a move away, although the likes of Watford and Newcastle (should they stay up) are in search of a left-back this summer. Liverpool are also rumoured to be interested, having been impressed by his excellent season at Nice in 2014/15.

Jack Grealish

It took until April for Jack Grealish to be handed his first Villa start in the 2014/15 season, and yet he played as many minutes of that campaign – 817 – as he has in the entirety of 2015/16. His collapse has been more pronounced, and more disappointing, than any other player at Villa Park.

His off-field misdemeanours have severely damaged the 20-year-old’s reputation, but there is still plenty of time for Grealish to recover; after all, his confidence, determination, and natural ability have never been in doubt. Tim Sherwood’s dismissal harmed his first-team options and the youngster had a fractious relationship with Remi Garde – who saw Grealish as too lightweight and attack-minded to help in a relegation battle.

But Grealish still has the potential to be world-class, if guided by the right manager and given an extended run in the first team. A year in the Championship with his hometown club presents a perfect opportunity to rebuild his waning reputation, although the youngster will not be short of suitors having dazzled in the FA Cup last season.

Possible destination: Everton, Newcastle, West Ham, Southampton, and Liverpool should be seriously considering an offer for Grealish should he be available at a cut price; his stock will probably never be this low again. However, fans will be fairly confident their playmaker can be persuaded to stay for another year.

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