Fabrizio Romano has shared that Leander Dendoncker is leaving Aston Villa and heading to Napoli.
This is perhaps a surprising one, not the back-up midfielder leaving Villa Park, but the champions of Italy wanting to bring in his talents.
Leander Dendoncker has only played 114 minutes of Premier League football for Aston Villa this term and a further 139 in Europe.
It has been pretty clear for a while now that Unai Emery just doesn’t fancy the player, so a move in the January window was always going to come about.
But Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared on Twitter that it’s an initial loan deal for the 28-year-old and then Napoli have the option to buy the player for 9 million Euros, around £7.6 million, in the summer.
Whilst those in Naples watched their team produce one of the great seasons in the club’s history last time out, their campaign has hit a brick wall this time around and they are sitting ninth in the table, but only two points separate them and fourth.
Plus, Leander Dendoncker will be playing in the Champions League, with Napoli tasked with trying to take down Xavi’s Barcelona, who have had their own troubles this term.
Nonetheless, these were the details Fabrizio Romano provided regarding Leander Dendoncker’s loan move from Villa to Napoli.
Leander Dendoncker to join Napoli
“Leander Dendoncker to Napoli, here we go,” wrote Romano.
“Loan deal agreed between Napoli and Aston Villa. Understand buy option clause in June will be worth €9m — not mandatory. Medical booked on Wednesday for the Belgian midfielder.”
Another midfielder incoming?
This now raises the question as to whether another midfield player will be incoming during the January transfer window.
There is around a week left before the window slams shut and you would imagine the club must have something in mind.
Now, there is nothing wrong with the starters – John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara – they are as solid as they come.
But it’s about rotating them. Perhaps this Dendoncker departure could see academy star Tim Iroegbunam earn some first-team minutes.
There is no doubt that the talent is there and it would be great to see Emery help push the 20-year-old up the ladder.
