Aston Villa striker Wesley has discussed his future after securing a loan move to Club Brugge in order to play regularly after his serious injury.
The 24-year-old joined Villa in July 2019 but has made just 26 appearances for the club, in which he’s scored six goals and provided an assist, with a long-term knee injury forcing him to miss around 16 months of action.
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Having made a successful comeback at the end of last season, he has continued to find it difficult to work his way back into the side on a regular basis, with both Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings ahead of him in the pecking order.
With that in mind, he secured a loan return to his former club Brugge, which is ultimately a sensible move for all concerned as the Brazilian striker has more of a chance of earning a prominent role, the Belgian outfit bolster their attacking options and Villa hopefully get a player back next summer who is more confident and closer to rediscovering his best form.
However, speaking about his future this week, it seems as though all options are on the table for Wesley moving forward, as he detailed the reasoning behind his Villa exit and what might happen in the bigger picture.
“I didn’t think it would be now, but I always had it in my head that I would one day return to Club. The injury hastened that return. I have to play. That’s why I’m here,” he told Nieuwsblad.
“I was also able to play at Aston Villa, but the highest achievable was substitutions of a few minutes. I wanted to be able to start games again to grow to my best level. I am not the type of striker who can make a difference as a substitute. I told the coach I had to play more and wanted to leave. He said he understood.
“My first goal is to play. I haven’t started a game since January 1st 2020. After this year, I am under contract at Aston Villa for two more years. It may be that I return, it may be that I go to another club. But everything starts with having a good season here. Then we’ll see what comes.”
Ultimately, a lot can change over the next few months both for Wesley and at Villa, and so he’s right to leave his options open for now. It’s hoped that he can take his game to the next level with Brugge and regain his confidence which in turn might spark a revitalised spell with Villa.
However, time will tell how the situation develops, but for now, the hope is that Wesley enjoys his football, stays clear of injury and gets back to 100%.