It’s near 500 days since Wesley final threw a contest ball for Aston Villa, with the Brazilian tall trying nearer to a comeback.

The 24-year-old ruptured his knee ligaments in his final look in opposition to Burnley on New Years Day final season, which might maintain him on the sidelines for 14+ months.

“You are going to see a whole lot of energy and a whole lot of high quality,” have been Wesley’s first phrases after signing a five-year contract for a then-record 22million membership document. “I am actually comfortable to have the possibility to play within the Premier League and I hope to play nicely and rating a whole lot of targets.”

Wesley’s first season ended abruptly on January 1, 2020, as he managed 4 targets in his opening eight Premier League appearances. The ahead would go on a 12-game drought after that earlier than taking pictures house – and wholesome – in opposition to Burnley at Turf Moor. Membership Brugge’s summer time signing would finish with 5 targets in 21 league video games.

Since then, Villa has shelled out a further £ 28million on Dean Smith’s No.1 goal, Ollie Watkins, who has added an entire new dimension to Villa’s ahead sport this season. Watkins has scored 10 of his 27 video games up to now, with document shopping for prone to play each minute by the top of this marketing campaign.

Final week, nonetheless, it was Smith who supplied a constructive replace on Wesley who was again alongside his Aston Villa teammates to take part in full contact coaching at Bodymoor Heath.

Objectives have dried up for Villa in current weeks, the place they now common one purpose each 180 minutes. Jack Grealish’s absence performs into that, after all, however it would take much more within the closing third with 11 video games to go.

Right here, we check out the choices Smith would possibly contemplate if Wesley makes a comeback earlier than the top of this season. The South American is ready to play for the Below-23s forward of his long-awaited return to the Premier League.

ASTON VILLA, 4-3-1-2: MARTINEZ; CASH, KONSA, MINGS, TARGETT; SANSON, DOUGLAS LUIZ, MCGINN; GREALISH; WESLEY, WATKINS.

A considerably unorthodox system – utilized by Brighton of their victory over Southampton this weekend – however which may work as a result of it performs on one another’s strengths; Villa has his again steady at 5 in place whereas in midfield he’s enlarged with three of Villa’s finest gamers, with Douglas Luiz tasked with sitting a bit of deeper.

Jack Grealish is enjoying in his No.10 position behind Villa, Wesley and Watkins’ £ 50million strike pressure. This attacking trio is sufficient to wreak havoc and provides the opposition protection nightmares.

ASTON VILLA, 4-2-3-1: MARTINEZ; CASH, KONSA, MINGS, TARGETT; DOUGLAS LUIZ, NAKAMBA; TRAORE, GREALISH, WATKINS; Wesley.

Now it’s kind of extra out of the Smith 2020/21 handbook with the boss reverting to a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-1-1 for a lot of this marketing campaign. It’s going to work the identical with Grealish within the # 10 position right here, versus his inside-forward stance from the left.

Nonetheless, a slight adjustment to that might see Watkins enjoying from the left – as he did at Brentford earlier than when, in opposition to Wolves lately, he was enjoying from the left when Keinan Davis got here on. Bertrand Traore will likely be on the proper with further safety in midfield with Douglas and Marvelous Nakamba.

ASTON VILLA, 4-3-3: MARTINEZ; CASH, KONSA, MINGS, TARGETT; SANSON, DOUGLAS LUIZ, MCGINN; WATKINS, WESLEY, GREALISH.

From Smith 2020/21 to Smith 2019/20 right here; that is his beforehand most popular 4-3-3 kind. Morgan Sanson, Douglas and John McGinn will present the vitality and ball high quality of the midfield with a ahead tip from Watkins, Wesley and Grealish.

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