De Laet is set to leave Aston Villa, if reports are to be believed.
Steve Bruce is not the most popular of figures amongst Aston Villa supporters right now. A lack of form and his decision to play players out of their natural positions is angering fans – and it will only increase if he lets Ritchie De Laet leave.
Villa are seriously struggling for numbers in defence. Although they have options at full-back in James Bree, Neil Taylor, Alan Hutton and Ahmed El-Mohamady, they are struggling at centre-back.
The club have lost John Terry and Chris Samba on free transfers, while Tommy Elphick joined Hull City on loan. Reports continually suggest that Terry could re-sign, while Harold Moukoudi’s move failed on deadline day.
It leaves just James Chester and Axel Tuanzebe as options at centre-back, while Micah Richards continues to sit on the sidelines without a squad number.
Central defensive options remain thin on the ground, and that would see Bruce make a foolish decision if he sanctions De Laet’s reportedly imminent move to Australian A-League side Melbourne City.
Australian outlet The World Game claim De Laet, who has two Belgium caps to his name, could be about to form another reunion with Warren Joyce, after spells with the coach at Royal Antwerp and Manchester United.
Melbourne and Villa have a strong connection after Ross McCormack starred for Manchester City’s feeder club last season, and that could also help push through a move.
De Laet’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season but the former Leicester City and Stoke star’s ability to play in the middle of the defence is something that should not be ignored by Bruce.
He can provide more than adequate cover for Chester and Tuanzebe, and Bruce would be foolish to get rid of that.
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