The Aston Villa right-back has spent almost the whole season on the treatment table but Bruce’s transfers appear to have blocked his return.
Not too many players can lay claim to earning a league winner’s medal for one team and a promotion for another in a single season. Yet, Ritchie De Laet, after spending the first half of last season at Leicester City and moving on loan to second tier runners-up Middlesbrough in January, is a member of a rather unique club.
Fast forward 12 months, however, and the current season has been a lot less memorable. As part of a huge influx of talent brought to the club by Roberto DI Matteo in the summer, Aston Villa splashed out £2.5 million to sign the former Manchester United youngster, according to The Sun.
Eight months later, however, he is still stuck on three appearences in Villa colours, the last coming in September’s draw with Brentford. Subbed off in the 67th minute, a serious knee injury meant De Laet wouldn’t be seen again this season.
But will he be seen again in a Villa shirt full stop? During his absence, a lot has changed at the club. Di Matteo has gone and Steve Bruce arrived, remodelling the squad to his design.
And, crucially, the experienced manager appears to have already blocked the Belgian flyer’s return to the team. Alan Hutton, the first choice right-back in De Laet’s absence, recently triggered an extension in his contract to keep him at the club for another year.
Meanwhile, while the addition of 19-year-old understudy James Bree from Barnsley in January means De Laet may be facing up to the prospect of being Villa’s third choice right-back.
However, after a year on the sidelines, it’s unlikely he will want to spend next season out of the team too. Perhaps a summer exit is the best, if not the only, possible option.
Though far from being his fault, De Laet’s chance at Villa appears to have passed him by.
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