In a recent interview (via Birmingham Mail), Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has revealed that Wesley Moraes is closing in on a return from injury and is ready to start training soon. Smith said,
“He (Wesley) will join in with the group next week on a non-contact basis just to get him in amongst the players.
“We’ll have more of an idea when he starts contact training in probably two weeks. He’s getting a lot closer now which is pleasing.”
Wesley’s Underwhelming Career At Villa Park So Far
Wesley has not played for the Villans since damaging his knee ligaments back in January 2020. Fast forward one year, and he is finally ready to make his long-awaited comeback in the coming weeks which will be a welcome bit of news for anyone associated with the West Midlands club.
The Brazilian centre-forward has netted six goals and secured one assist in 22 matches for Dean Smith’s side thus far across all competitions. Wesley struggled to find consistency with his performances in the previous campaign when he averaged 0.7 tackles, 1.1 clearances, 1.7 shots, 0.5 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He also lacked accuracy when distributing the ball in the final third as evident from his pass completion rate of 71.8% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
What Are The Brazilian Frontman’s Best Attributes?
Standing at 1.91m, Wesley can be a towering presence inside the opponent’s penalty box and possesses the strength to overpower his marker and win a lot of headers for his team in the final third. He works hard in running the channels and can be a real handful for any defender.
The Brazilian sensation packs plenty of power with his strikes at goal and is a relatively composed finisher in front of the opposition goal. However, he needs to be more consistent in terms of his productivity in the attacking third if he wants to reclaim a place in Dean Smith’s first-team after he makes his return from injury later this season.
Wesley Closing In On A Return From Injury: Big Boost For Smith?
Now that Wesley is set to return to training, the Villians could get a massive boost ahead of what looks set to be a gruelling second half of this Premier League season. The Brazilian marksman has got the skillset to serve as a decent back-up to Ollie Watkins at Villa Park. He is even good enough to play alongside the English striker if Smith wants to set his team up with two forwards up top. At 24, Wesley is about to enter the prime stage of his playing career, so Smith will fancy his chances of getting the best out of him in the remainder of this campaign.
