It is now questionable Club Brugge re-sign Aston Villa striker Wesley Moraes over concerns relating to the cost of a deal and the Brazilian’s fitness, according to Het Nieuwsblad.
Wesley wants a new challenge before Tuesday’s transfer deadline passes as he plots his path back to regular games. The 24-year-old has only played a quarter of an hour in the Premier League since January 2020, after sustaining a serious knee injury against Burnley.
The Clarets affair also marks the last time Wesley, who was Aston Villa’s club-record signing at £22m, opened a fixture. He has since struggled to rediscover the form shown after his move from Club Brugge in 2019. The one-cap striker scored six in 22 outings before injury.
Aston Villa are open to allowing Wesley to leave the club on loan during the final week of the window. Club Brugge have considered taking the £35,000-per-week frontman back to the Jan Breydel Stadium to bolster Philippe Clement’s attacking options.
Wesley would also like to return to Club Brugge if Aston Villa sanction a loan transfer. But the Blauw-Zwart are going cold over the fee the Villans demand and his fitness. Clement also already has Bas Dost, Daniel Perez and teen prospect Youssouph Badji at his disposal.
Reports by The Athletic earlier this week claimed Wesley was on the cusp of joining Club Brugge from Aston Villa. The Birmingham outfit gave the deal their blessing as he has fallen down Dean Smith’s pecking order. With Danny Ings now the prime backup to Ollie Watkins.
Smith also has Keinan Davis and Cam Archer – who scored a hat-trick in the Carabao Cup at Barrow – to hand. Both will provide cover for Watkins and Ings – once Davis overcomes a knee injury – to round out Villa’s striker options.
What now for Wesley if Club Brugge pull plug on Aston Villa deal?
Aston Villa and Wesley still have time to ease any concerns Club Brugge have over a last-ditch loan transfer. Both the Premier League club and their unfavoured striker will want to solve any problems to push through a deal.
Smith is unlikely to offer Wesley anywhere near the amount of minutes he needs to find his form again. Other potential suitors will also likely share the Blauw-Zwart’s concerns over the attacker’s fitness if they pull the plug.
Wesley made three Premier League outings over seven games at the end of 2020/21 after returning to action in April. Each appearance came from the bench, with the longest being his second against Manchester United at 13 minutes. His only action so far this term came in stoppage-time against Newcastle, too, while Smith omitted him entirely against Barrow.
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