Exit finally agreed for Aston Villa outcast as club clears his wages from the ledger

Aston Villa outcast Leander Dendoncker is set to join promoted La Liga side Real Oviedo on a free transfer.

Belgian international Dendoncker joined Villa from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022 and was expected to have a role to play in defence and defensive midfield. Limited by injury and a lack of impact, he’s dropped out of contention under Unai Emery.

Dendoncker returned to Villa from a loan spell at former club Anderlecht, where he spent last season and was anticipated to return permanently. However, Anderlecht opted against activating the clause and the 30-year-old was out in the cold.

Villa have no place for Dendoncker, who has a year remaining on his contract but is not in Emery’s plans. The club is believed to have explored the possible implications of terminating his contract amid a lack of interested parties, but a deal has been struck with La Liga side Real Oviedo, who were promoted to the top tier at the end of last season.

BirminghamLive reports that Dendoncker is set to leave having agreed to move to Spain. The agreement between the clubs does not include a transfer fee but Villa benefit from offloading the player’s salary without penalty.

Dendoncker could make his debut in La Liga against Real Madrid next weekend.

Real Oviedo’s veteran survival project

Oviedo appear to be focusing their transfer efforts on senior names after a 24-year exile from Spain’s top division, seeking to stay in La Liga through a combination of veterans, free transfers and loan deals.

Former Premier League stars Santi Cazorla and Salomón Rondón played in Oviedo’s opener against Villarreal over the weekend, Cazorla’s top-flight return after two previous seasons back at the club where he played youth football.

It’s also been reported that former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly is close to a move to Oviedo, while they have already signed former Liverpool youngster Ovie Ejaria. Dendoncker will join them to try to help Veljko Paunović’s side avoid relegation this season.

Dendoncker’s ability to play in a defensive midfield role or as a centre-back, better demonstrated at Wolves than at Villa, have seemingly attracted the Spanish club.

He is seen as a useful destructive player with the in-possession skills to start attacks. However, he was criticised during his loan spell at Anderlecht for being too passive in the press. Real Oviedo, with rather more modest ambitions, could suit him much better at this juncture of his career.

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