Micah Richards is to finally be released by Aston Villa almost two years after he last played, according to the Daily Mirror.
The Mirror (print edition, August 12th, page 65) reports that the former Manchester City star, who last played in October 2016, could be released from his reported £50,000-a-week contract.
Since Richards last played, a 1-1 draw with Wolves, the defender has been paid £3.3million without having to even step onto a pitch and has remained one of the clubs highest earners.
The former England stars contract is up at the end of the season but Steve Bruce has asked the owners to try and end it sooner in order to free up some cash.
OPINION
Since joining Aston Villa in 2015 Micah Richards has played just 31 times and hasn’t been on the pitch since October 2016. As one of the club’s highest earners this is simply not affordable for a club that over the summer almost went into administration before new investors saved the club. In his early Manchester City days Richards looked like he would go onto be at the heart of the England defence for years to come, but after being plagued by injuries his stock quickly plummeted. A loan spell in Italy, at Fiorentina, couldn’t rejuvenate his career and by now it had completely fallen off of the wagon. Having spent even more time out at Villa with a persistent knee injury, this could not only be the end of his time at Villa but the end of his career. If he is to keep playing it looks like he may have to drop down a few leagues, but who is going to risk picking up someone with not only his wage demands but his injury history?