Aston Villa transfer news as Fabrizio Romano shares Leander Dendoncker update
Leander Dendoncker is set to return to Aston Villa from his Napoli loan at the end of the season, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Italian transfer specialist reported [23 March] that the Serie A champions are not planning to trigger the £7.7million buy-option in the current loan deal.
The Belgian has only played a total of 21 minutes since leaving Villa Park in January, coming on as a substitute against Sassuolo, Hellas Verona and Lazio.
Has Leader Dendoncker played his last match for Aston Villa?
With only one Premier League start for the Villans in the first half of the season, it was hoped that the 28-year-old would be handed some much-needed competitive minutes away from Villa Park.
However, that has failed to materialise in Italy, suggesting that Dendoncker is not a good enough player to be utilised by Unai Emery. There is certainly an issue if two managers have snubbed him.
It always seemed like a strange decision to bring Dendoncker to the club in 2022, despite his fine displays for Wolves in 159 appearances over two spells at Molineux.
Considering his displays this season, it might be a difficult task to offload the midfielder in the summer or get any profit after it was reported that Villa spent £13million on the former Wolves man. [Sky Sports]
The multiple injuries at Villa Park, especially the knee injury suffered by Boubacar Kamara, might hand Dendoncker a lifeline at his current club, with Douglas Luiz the only other defensive midfielder in the squad.
The Belgian will not be preferred further forward either, with John McGinn almost undroppable for Villa, and the likes of Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby deputising out wide.
Only time will tell what Dendoncker’s future holds with the Villans, but it does not boast any signs of positivity after a failed loan spell with Napoli.
In other Aston Villa news, Ian Wright summed up Leon Bailey in one word as he predicted where the Villans will finish this season.
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