Dan Bardell exclusive: Leander Dendoncker a low-key but smart signing for Aston Villa
We’re delighted to welcome The Athletic’s Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Aston Villa signing Leander Dendoncker on transfer deadline day won’t get fans excited but it is the kind of player that club needs at the moment says Dan Bardell.
The Belgian international arrived at Villa Park from Wolves for a fee thought to be around £13million [Sky Sports] and fleshes out a midfield unit that needed extra options.
The 27-year-old doesn’t come in with the same sort of fanfare as the headline signings of the summer but he has the physical profile that the Villans could use in the centre of the park, and Bardell is satisfied that he’s a decent addition.
He exclusively told Villa News: “It’s one that is not an exciting signing but I think it’s quite a stable signing, and the kind of signing that we’ve probably needed.
“The midfield’s been in all sorts of trouble lately. And one thing that Villa have been lacking, amongst many other things, is a bit of size and a bit of physicality in the midfield, and he’ll provide that.
“He’s been part of a relatively successful Wolves team for a number of years now. He plays for Belgium, plays a lot of games for them, and you don’t do that unless you’ve got something about you.
“Wolves fans don’t seem massively disappointed that he’s gone from what I’ve seen on social media but they’re heading in a bit of a different direction with their midfield now.
“I think for Villa, the midfield’s been such a problem it’s a smart signing. He’s got Premier League experience as well and he’s just hopefully someone that can come in and firm things up a little bit.”
Everton were believed to be pushing hard for Dendoncker but the Lions made the decisive move late in the window to land him after his prospects at Molinieux were reduced by the big-money arrival of Matheus Nunes from Sporting.
It is unlikely that the versatile midfielder, who can also cover in defence if needed, is going to herald a major upturn in the club’s fortunes alone, but is the kind of squad option that is likely to be crucial at certain points during the season.
In other Aston Villa news, Eniola Aluko reacted with delight to the surprise point at home to Manchester City.