Wesley’s return could end Keinan Davis’ Aston Villa career [Opinion]

Aston Villa striker Wesley Moraes has finally returned to first team training after recovering from a long-term knee injury, but news of the 24-year-old’s comeback may have repercussions for Keinan Davis.

The 23-year-old is behind Ollie Watkins in the pecking order and Wesley will eventually challenge for a starting place, so Davis’ hopes of being an Aston Villa player for the long-term seem dead in the water.

Wesley joined the Villans from Club Brugge in 2019 and has gone on to make 22 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals and supplying one assist (Transfermarkt). The Brazilian was a regular in his debut season before rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, so Davis could have another player standing in his way of getting game-time soon enough.

The 23-year-old has amassed only 48 minutes Premier League football this season and has made just two brief cameos in 2021 (Transfermarkt), so Wesley’s return could see him dropped from the matchday squad entirely. Davis has scored fewer goals in 75 games for Villa than Wesley managed in a matter of months, which suggests that the former will be bumped further down the pecking order.

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Davis was denied a loan move to Bristol City in January and has spent most of the season as an unused substitute.

Once Wesley returns from his lengthy layoff, that could spell the end of the 23-year-old’s time at Aston Villa unless Dean Smith suddenly sees something in him which he hasn’t up to this point.