Aston Villa striker Wesley has been out of action with an anterior cruciate ligament injury since January 2020, but he is on the recovery trial and has finally returned to first team training.
Gregg Evans of The Athletic has said that the 24-year-old could make his first appearance in more than a year next month, which will be a big boost to Aston Villa and manager Dean Smith.
Wesley has made 22 appearances in all competitions since joining the Claret and Blues from Club Brugge in the summer of 2019, scoring six goals and supplying one assist (Transfermarkt).
The Brazilian’s last outing for Villa came in their 2-1 win over Burnley on New Year’s Day 2020, when he suffered the long-term injury to his right knee which has sidelined him ever since (Transfermarkt).
Villa’s medical team warned Smith about bringing the striker back too soon, so his return was delayed. He is now training with the players full time and will undergo sessions which feature full-contract training to improve his conditioning before he is in a position to make the matchday squad. [The Athletic]
Evans believes that Wesley will first require playing time for the under-23s, likely playing a behind-closed-doors exhibition game or two for the sake of his match fitness, so it may be a few weeks before fans see his name in the first team matchday squad.
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It’s great to hear that Wesley could return sooner rather than later, but expectations must be curbed.
The 24-year-old has been out for a long time and will likely be rusty, so he may not play a major role for Villa until next season.
