Leander Dendoncker 'not helping himself' after Aston Villa struggles

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·23 November 2023

Leander Dendoncker 'not helping himself' after Aston Villa struggles

Aston Villa midfielder Leander Dendoncker isn’t helping himself with his performances at Villa Park, as Sunday People chief sports writer Neil Moxley considers his place in the club's pecking order.

The Villans are enjoying an excellent start to the season under Unai Emery in the Premier League and Europa Conference League. They hope to continue their impressive form heading into the winter months.

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Since he arrived at Villa Park, Dendoncker has been a useful, if not regular, option. He hopes to be offered more opportunities to showcase his abilities in the next few weeks. However, Emery’s priority will be on maintaining the side’s level of performance ahead of a challenging set of fixtures.

Dendoncker’s hit-and-miss spell at Aston Villa

Aston Villa signed Dendoncker from West Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on the 2022 summer transfer window’s deadline day. The Belgium international made the short trip across to the second city in a deal reportedly worth £13m, with his contract at Molineux set to expire at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Dendoncker was signed under the management of Steven Gerrard, who replaced Dean Smith in the Villa Park dugout in November 2021. However, the former Rangers boss couldn’t build on his positive start with the one-time European Cup winners' and eventually was sacked in October 2022.

Later that month, Villa confirmed Emery's appointment. The Basque head coach transformed the club from Premier League relegation candidates to continental football contenders, eventually securing their place in the 2023/24 Europa Conference League.

However, Dendoncker’s impact has been limited under the management of the former Arsenal boss. The 28-year-old’s card may have been marked following his dismissal in Villa’s shock 2-1 FA Cup third-round home defeat to League Two outfit Stevenage in January 2023.

But an inspired performance in a sensational 3-0 victory over Newcastle United in March of that year seemed to have earned him his place back in the team. However, this season, opportunities have been limited for Dendoncker, as he has played in just 1% of available Premier League minutes across top-flight appearances.

Emery prefers a midfield trio of Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz and John McGinn, whilst Youri Tielemans often appears from the substitutes bench. Moxley has also told GIVEMESPORT (19th November) that Dendoncker could have some “unfinished business” at Wolves and may be welcomed back at Molineux if he leaves Villa Park.

Neil Moxley on Leander Dendoncker

Moxley is confused about Dendoncker’s struggles at Villa, given that he can play in midfield and as a centre-back. The journalist claims that the reported £90,000 per-week earner hasn’t helped himself in his performances, having played a part in Luton Town’s late consolation in their 3-1 defeat at Villa Park in October. The journalist told GIVEMESPORT:

“It's just not working out for him at Villa at the moment, which I'm a little bit confused about because Emery prefers playing Lenglet at centre-back, which is one avenue for Dendoncker playing in the team ruled out. Also, he's been used in central midfield, and he seems to prefer Tielemans, which is fair enough, but he's been relentless in occasionally playing the likes of Luiz and Kamara. I would have thought that Dendoncker would have been further up the pecking order. “I don't think he's helping himself, and I think it was against Luton when he came on, and I think he gave the goal away. Now that may put question marks in Emery’s mind as to whether he has a long-term future at Villa.”

Leander Dendoncker transfer news

Following his lack of appearances during the 2023/24 campaign and the transfer rumours linking him with a move abroad, Dendoncker's future seems to lie away from Villa Park. According to Football Insider, the Villans are ready to listen to offers for the Belgian during the winter transfer window.

The report suggests that Dendoncker came close to a deadline day move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce during the 2023 summer transfer window. However, terms couldn’t be agreed as the experienced Premier League midfielder remained at Villa Park beyond September.

Villa are reportedly prepared to consider loan and permanent offers for Dendoncker’s services during the 2024 winter market, which opens on 1st January. He is often named on the substitutes' bench and is not considered part of Emery’s plans for the future at Villa Park.

The Villans return to action following the season’s third international break on 26th November when they travel to high-flying Tottenham Hotspur. They are looking to increase their chances of Champions League qualification.

Emery’s side will end November with the penultimate Europa Conference League group-stage clash when Legia Warszawa arrives in the second city on the 30th. A victory would secure the club’s advancement to the competition's knockout stages and put them in pole position to secure the top spot ahead of the final round of group stage fixtures in December.