The 2023/24 campaign has been brilliant so far for Unai Emery and Aston Villa, both domestically and in Europe.
After the Steven Gerrard debacle, the Villains needed a strong and steady hand in the dugout, and that’s exactly what they’ve got with Emery.
The Spaniard is believed to be methodical in his preparation and unforgiving in his worth ethic, and the results of that are clear for all to see.
Most players seem to have improved immeasurably since the Spaniard arrived, with Ollie Watkins in particular looking every inch the England striker under Emery’s guiding hand.
For all of the good work that is being done, however, there’s one player that appears to be suffering under the current management.
Leander Dendoncker certainly hasn’t helped himself this season either, fluffing his lines when given the opportunity to shine.
“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,” journalist, Neil Moxley, said about the £90k per week (Capology) ace to Give Me Sport.
“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.”
With the January transfer window just around the corner, there’s a cogent argument that a move away for the player would actually suit all parties.
It isn’t clear how much the 28-year-old Belgian would fetch in the current climate, but the cost saving on wages alone would surely make such a scenario palatable for the Villains.