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Aston Villa make Leander Dendoncker exit decision amid pursuit to sign Leeds United star Tyler Adams
Aston Villa are willing to sell Leander Dendoncker this summer as Unai Emery continues to overhaul his midfield at Villa Park, according to the Birmingham Mail.
The newspaper reported on 26 June that Dendoncker, 28, is able to leave B6 this summer as the Villans pursue a deal to sign Leeds United and USA midfielder Tyler Adams.
Villa have already agreed to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester and it is understood that Emery wants to add more strength in depth to his midfield options.
Sensible move
Dendoncker’s transfer to Villa Park last summer was cause for excitement in the West Midlands, but the Belgium international struggled with injury and consistent first-team action in Emery’s European-qualifying side.
With just seven Premier League starts last season, he was not pivotal to Villa’s success and could be considered surplus to requirements, while the recently relegated Tyler Adams would be a younger and more exciting option.
Emery noted Dendoncker’s frequent absence from Villa’s starting line-ups in a March press conference. The Spaniard said: “It has been difficult for him because for one reason and another he has not consistently been available… Hopefully we can find the best of him after this break.”
Statistically, both Dendoncker and Adams are very similar profiles of players. According to FBRef, Adams is in the 99th percentile for tackles with 3.72 per game compared with midfielders, while Dendoncker’s main strengths lie in his interceptions and ability to break up opposition play.
However, game time and age are on Adams’ side and the American would be an upgrade on Dendoncker who would struggle to start over new signing Tielemans.
That being said, the former Wolves star could still be a valuable asset for other Premier League or European sides and could recapture his Wolves-era form at a new club.
In other Aston Villa news, Villa are favourites to sign this Villarreal player.