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Aston Villa stepping up efforts to move forgotten man off the books

The Belgium international midfielder has been deemed surplus to requirements by boss Unai Emery and was not part of the travelling squad for Villa’s recent pre-season tour of the USA.

Dendoncker spent last season on loan back in his homeland with Anderlecht but they declined to trigger an option to buy.

It meant the 30-year-old returned to Villa for the second pre-season running having failed to secure a permanent move away, with Napoli having also opted against triggering a buy option following a disappointing loan spell in the second half of the 2023-24 campaign.

Finding a new club for Dendoncker, who has one year left on the deal he signed after joining from Wolves for £13million in 2022, has so far proven tricky this summer.

Another loan departure is still the most likely scenario yet an early termination of his contract, while still seen as a last resort at this stage, cannot be ruled out.

Villa also want to move left-back Alex Moreno off the books with Girona among several suitors in Spain.

Moreno, who became Emery’s first Villa signing when he joined from Real Betis for £13m in January 2023, spent the whole of last season on loan with Nottingham Forest.

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