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Leander Dendoncker 'victim of circumstance' at Aston Villa amid transfer speculation
We’re delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Leander Dendoncker has been a “victim of circumstance” at Aston Villa this season but should remain at the club, according to Dan Bardell.
With just 66 minutes of football so far this season, the Belgian is certainly a squad option rather than a contender for the starting lineup. He had been nursing an injury over the summer but is yet to make any real impact for the Villans.
Dendoncker came to the club from Wolves for £15million last summer but has most often been used as a bench option since his arrival, making many believe that an exit could be on the cards. Le Parisien reported on 1 September that Everton were interested in him in the summer.
Bardell has mooted the idea of a departure for the 28-year-old. With stronger midfield options at his disposal for starting positions, Dendoncker often enters the fray when Villa are in trouble, with Bardell suggesting we wouldn’t see the best of him in these moments.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “I think Dendoncker’s a useful player for Villa, but I feel sorry for him. He hasn’t really played and when he has, he’s generally been good.
“He came in against Newcastle last season in Villa’s best performance that I’ve seen from them. He had a claim to play for months at that point. But the problem he’s been having this season is that when he has been coming in we’ve been unsettled.
“I think he’s a really useful player and a good player to see out games. He has extra height for set-pieces and I wouldn’t be looking to move him on, he’s just been an unfortunate victim of circumstance.”
In other Aston Villa news, a Sky Sports journalist has mooted any injury concerns for a Villa Park “gamechanger”.