Aston Villa: Micah Richards and Albert Adomah among eight players released

Micah Richards last appearance for Aston Villa was in October 2016

Aston Villa have released eight players ahead of their return to the Premier League, including defender Micah Richards and winger Albert Adomah.

Former England international Richards, 30, had not played since October 2016.

After being signed from Manchester City by Tim Sherwood in 2015, he fell out of favour and only made a total of 31 appearances in four years with Villa.

Alan Hutton, Mile Jedinak, Glenn Whelan, Tommy Elphick, Mark Bunn and Ritchie de Laet have also been let go.

Popular full-back Hutton, Villa's longest-serving player, made 33 starts last season, including his dream solo goal in the 4-2 derby win over Birmingham City.

But he got injured in February and missed the whole of Villa's club record 10-game winning run.

Adomah, 31, started the Championship play-off final win over Derby County, while Whelan, 35, and Jedinak, 34, were unused substitutes at Wembley.

Former Middlesbrough winger Adomah, Villa's top scorer in 2017-18, made 36 Championship appearances in 2018-19, scoring four goals.

Republic of Ireland international Whelan, signed from Stoke City in 2017, made 23 league starts during the season, while Australian Jedinak started 12 games.

Former Villa skipper Elphick made 11 appearances after spending the first half the season on loan at Hull, goalkeeper Bunn played just once, and De Laet was down under, loaned to Australian A-League side Melbourne City.