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With Aston Villa's fate all but sealed, attentions will turn to a season in the Championship.

It's well documented how competitive a division England's second tier is, and should Villa suffer relegation as expected, to bounce back at the first attempt they'll need surgery on their existing squad.

It begs the question - who of Villa's current crop can perform week in, week out in the Championship?

Who can they rely upon to influence a promotion-winning campaign?

Tricky Spaniard Carles Gil was signed by Paul Lambert from Valencia in January 2015, but barely featured at all under Tim Sherwood.

Gil has been a regular since Remi Garde's arrival, and has started the last couple of games after being dropped back to the bench for a handful of matches.

He has shown merely glimpses of what he can do during his time at B6, but when he does find the back of the net, you tend to remember them!

Gil is a creator, inventive with the ball and a player who can be dangerous in the final third.

He was the best player on the pitch at The Hawthorns in a match Villa should have won in January, and put in a similar shift when the claret and blues breezed past Norwich.

While these performances may be fleeting, they offer encouragement that, in the right set-up, Gil can thrive.

The Championship is a different ball game to the top flight, but that's not to say Gil can't perform.

Take Jon Toral for example.

Gil's compatriot down the road at Birmingham City has been largely excellent in the number ten role at St Andrew's this season, on loan from Arsenal.

Toral, a product of Barcelona's La Masia academy, tends to be clinical in front of goal (the recent trip to Molineux aside) and possesses similar technical abilities to Gil.

The 21-year-old's goals have contributed towards a decent number of Blues' points tally and, although admittedly he's physically bigger than Gil, he copes comfortably with the rigorous demands of second tier.

The clear-out at Villa Park is expected to be extensive this summer - holding onto Gil might just be worthwhile business.