Villa's Agbonlahor out 2 weeks for fitness programme

Aston Villa's longest-serving player has apparently had a few too many servings himself, as the club announced Thursday that attacker Gabriel Agbonlahor will miss the next two weeks to undergo a personal fitness programme.

The 29-year-old forward missed Villa's last two matches, one due to a virus and one for disciplinary reasons stemming from a shisha-smoking incident in Dubai. Now he'll also miss the relegation-confirming trip to Manchester United on Saturday.

"We have decided together that we don't think he's up to the fitness levels of the Premier League at this moment in time," caretaker manager Eric Black told the club's website.

"He's got an individual programme that he will follow. Some of it will involve being with the group, some of it not with the group. We will reassess it in two weeks."

Agbonlahor will also miss a home match with Southampton and a visit to Watford, with his participation in the final two fixtures against Newcastle and Arsenal now in serious doubt.

Sitting bottom on a dismal 16 points, 15 adrift of Norwich City and Premier League safety, Villa has long known its fate. With relegation now a certainty, the club will begin assessing the squad ahead of next season's Championship campaign, and Agbonlahor's name is one of many reportedly slated for an exit.

As Agbonlahor is one of the club's better-paid players and under contract with Villa until the summer of 2018, both parties may benefit from cutting a few pounds at season's end.