---
title: "Emerging Bodymoor Heath news opens debate as to who is Dean Smith’s main striker"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2020/11/03/aston-villa-wesley-watkins-main-striker/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ben Crump"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2020-11-03T14:00:05Z"
modified: "2026-09-03T11:38:51Z"
---

# Emerging Bodymoor Heath news opens debate as to who is Dean Smith’s main striker

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith will be buoyed to learn that Brazilian striker [Wesley](https://readastonvilla.com/2020/10/29/wesley-continues-injury-progress-as-aston-villa-comeback-draws-closer/) is edging closer to a return to full fitness.

The 23-year-old [arrived at Villa Park](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11741270/aston-villa-sign-wesley-moraes-from-club-brugge-for-22m)last summer from Belgian side Club Brugge and he almost instantly made an impact, [netting five goals in 21 appearances last term.](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wesley/leistungsdaten/spieler/381362)

However, he [suffered a cruciate ligament injury](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wesley-moraes-injury-aston-villa-17503954) against Burnley on New Year’s Day in a game which also saw Tom Heaton incur a similar blow.

Wesley is now edging close to a return after almost 11 months out injured, with [Villa posting a behind-the-scenes snap of the striker during a training session](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-wesley-injury-heaton-19186130).

> Twitter: Step-by-step. ![💪](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.0/svg/1f4aa.svg) https://t.co/LNKmG49ENj https://t.co/9tyJCjRyQQ (@AVFCOfficial)

With Wesley closing in on a return, it will be interesting to see if the Brazilian gets back in Dean Smith’s starting XI, especially with summer signing Ollie Watkins [producing superb form](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ollie-watkins/leistungsdaten/spieler/324358).

Looking ahead to Wesley’s return to the fold, we have compared the two strikers and debated who Smith may opt to go with as his main centre-forward in the future, whilst also looking at the potential of either Keinan Davis or Bertrand Traore playing in the number nine role.