---
title: "Ritchie De Laet leaves for Australia"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2018/09/14/ritchie-de-laet-leaves-for-australia/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ryan Darby"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2018-09-14T11:22:38Z"
modified: "2018-09-14T11:22:38Z"
---

# Ritchie De Laet leaves for Australia

Ritchie De Laet has left Aston Villa to join Australian side Melbourne City on loan.

[The Express and Star reports](https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2018/09/14/aston-villa-full-back-ritchie-de-laet-joins-melbourne-city-on-loan/) that defender will head down under after spending last season on loan at Belgian side Royal Antwerp.

The former Leicester City man has been facing a bleak future at Villa Park for some time now.

![Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readastonvilla.com/readastonvilla/2018/09/603125886.jpg)

He was a regular throughout pre-season but was yet to feature in a domestic fixture this season for Steve Bruce.

While in Australia, De Laet will be working with Warren Joyce, the ex-Wigan boss and former Manchester United coach worked with the defender when he was coming through the ranks at Old Trafford.

Ross McCormack enjoyed a fruitful loan spell with Melbourne previously and De Laet will be hoping to have a similar impact in the A-League.

Despite not featuring regularly for the club, De Laet’s exit may surprise some fans with Villa looking suspect at the back recently.