Aston Villa have been in excellent form.

Dean Smith’s side are currently fifth in the Premier League table and are just six points off leaders Liverpool, while also holding a game in hand on the Reds.

They have not lost any of their last five games, either, beating Wolves 1-0, West Bromwich Albion 3-0, and Crystal Palace 3-0, while drawing 0-0 with Burnley and 1-1 with Chelsea.

It is an impressive run, built on a tight defence and a prolific attack, and there is a real chance that the club could be in the conversation to qualify for Europe in 2021.

This season, already, they have thumped Liverpool 7-2, and beaten both Leicester City and Arsenal. Their next three games come against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

It is a run that could define their season and it seems they are already making plans for the January transfer window.

Football Insider reports that Frederic Guilbert is set to be loaned out at the turn of the year.

Guilbert has made just two senior appearances this season, both coming in the Carabao Cup, and has also played for the U23s side in a 3-2 defeat to Leeds United.

He has regularly been on the bench but it seems that Villa believe they can move him on, as both Ahmed Elmohamady and Matty Cash are ahead of him in the pecking order.

The 26-year-old could have moved to AFC Bournemouth on loan in the summer but turned that deal down, and Villa do not plan to sell him.

Instead, they want him to return to Villa Park next season to fight for his spot.

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

Yeah, this makes complete sense.

Guilbert made 25 appearances in the league last season and was, for a time, regarded as Smith’s first-choice at right-back.

Following the suspension of the league, though, he played just twice in Project Restart and now is probably the time for him to move on and start playing regularly again.

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Guilbert is still only 26 and he clearly has a high ceiling; he has been playing in the top-flight regularly and is a former France U21 international.

This deal is just good sense for Villa.