Micah Richards set to be released by Aston Villa after not playing for almost two years

Micah Richards has had a strange career

There was a time when Micah Richards was highly rated. He started games for England, he was considered one of the better right-backs in the Premier League, and he could actually move. He has struggled with injuries throughout his career, which have taken their toll, as shown by the fact that the last time he played a football match of any kind was in October 2016, almost two years ago. His move to Aston Villa was a disaster in every sense. He was signed under the naive assumption that he would be able to solidify a leaky defence. Alas, Villa were relegated in 2015/16 and Richards was dropped from the team despite being club captain due to his huge weaknesses including his ball control, reading of the game and general mobility. Here are some stats to illustrate just how badly his time at the club has gone:

• He has not been included in a matchday squad since September 2017, when he was an unused substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup, which is a thoroughly depressing sentence to write.
• Villa have played 100 games since he last touched the pitch in claret and blue,
• In the time that Richards has been a Villa player, the club have paid him approximately £5,740,000 in wages, which would have been better spent on hundreds of cardboard cutouts of Micah Richards. At least they wouldn't get injured.

But, to the relief of Villa fans and probably Richards himself, the time has come. Aston Villa are reportedly set to release the defender in the coming days. Richards will have the remainder of the window to find a new club, although you suspect that his options will be limited, given his recent injury record. He is 30 now, and would be lucky to get another move in the lower end of the football pyramid; a tragic fall from grace after winning the Premier League in 2012.