Leander Dendoncker has no future at Aston Villa despite Fabrizio Romano Napoli transfer update
Aston Villa will look to move Leander Dendoncker away from Villa Park permanently this summer after his poor loan stint with Napoli, according to Alan Hutton.
The Belgian international made a single start in the Premier League for Unai Emery’s side this season, before making the January switch to Naples where he is yet to start a single Serie A game for his new side.
Reports from Fabrizio Romano on X (24 March) have suggested that the Italian giants will not activate their £7.7million permanent option in the 28-year-old’s loan deal and will instead allow him to return to Villa Park at the end of the season.
While Hutton believes it will take an incredible pre-season for Dendoncker to force his way back into Emery’s first-team plans, he has admitted that it could be difficult for Villa to move the midfielder on given his low stock.
“When you’re a young boy and you go out on loan, that’s for experience,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“When you’re 27 or 28 having been there myself, when you go out on loan it’s because you’re not playing at your club and the future isn’t necessarily there for you.
“The biggest problem for someone of that age is if you go out and you don’t impress on loan, you have to return somewhere where you know your future doesn’t lie.
“It’s very difficult, your stock can be quite low which makes it difficult for you to move. I think that’s the way the club will go.
“Unless he comes back and has a really good pre-season, it’s down to the player but I’m pretty sure he’ll probably look to move on.”
Will Leander Dendoncker leave Aston Villa permanently in the summer transfer window?
It was clear in the first half of the season that Dendoncker was nothing more than a spare part in Emery’s plan for the season at Villa Park as the Belgian barely featured in either the Premier League or the Europa Conference League.
When he did play, the 28-year-old typically looked out of his depth and off the pace and was criticised by pundits and supporters alike for his poor displays. Moving away in the January transfer window was the perfect solution for all parties.
A permanent switch to Napoli may not be on the cards, but Villa will be able to find a suitor to take Dendoncker off of their hands permanently, even if they don’t get the sort of transfer fee they initially hoped for.
In other Aston Villa news, Hutton doesn’t believe Emery will fear Lille ahead of their Europa Conference League showdown
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