Aston Villa were busy in the transfer window on both the incoming but mainly, the outgoing front.

Dean Smith brought in Tom Carroll, Kortney Hause and Tyrone Mings to bolster the squad ahead of an intense finish to the season in which Villa will be looking to keep the pressure up as an outsider for a playoff spot.

The Villa boss also let six players leave, most notably Scott Hogan's departure to Sheffield United.

With that being said, on the topic of outgoings, here are two Villa players that surely wish they would have left in January...

Mark Bunn

Villa have tested their fair share of options between the sticks so far this season. Orjan Nyland began the season as number one and played the vast majority of games until he suffered an injury just prior to the January transfer window.

Jed Steer was then recalled from his loan at Charlton, he played once until Lovre Kalinic was signed and the Croatian has since started every game he has been available for. Steer also filled in for Kalinic when he suffered an injury and was substituted at half-time during the loss to West Brom at the weekend.

And then there is Bunn. The 34-year-old has played just once in the Championship this season and since Steer's return, as well as Kalinic's arrival, he has not made the matchday squad.

Obviously, he is just utilised for cover, but given the injuries and opportunities that have arisen this season, if he did want game time, he might have been frustrated to not get a move elsewhere for minutes as when everyone is fit, Villa now have four first-choice 'keepers.

Micah Richards

Richards has not played competitively for Villa since October 2016 and has not been in a matchday squad since September 2017- that does not look set to change anytime in the near future given that he is out of contract in the summer.

BirminghamLive had reported that a rumour emerged on social media, linking Richards to Celtic but nothing was to materialise.

If it was to be true, that could be been the 30-year-old's move away he needed following a tough time with injuries, so if it was genuine, he would have surely been frustrated that nothing amounted from it. The fact he's due to retire means his career is petering out and one last payday could have seen him finish his career strongly.