Midfielder removed as captain as £6m Aston Villa transfer plunged into doubt
Anderlecht sporting director Olivier Renard admits the Belgian club are yet to make a decision whether or not to sign Aston Villa midfielder Leander Dendoncker on a permanent deal in the summer.
In negotiations to sign the 29-year-old on loan for the campaign, Anderlecht also struck an agreement over an option to buy him from Villa. But Renard wants the Villa loanee to take more responsibility after manager David Hubert removed him as the vice captain following an injury suffered by Jan Vertonghen.
Asked by Gazet van Antwerpen if Dendoncker needs to show more personality, Renard said: "I think of Leander, yes. But he isn’t the only one: Dolberg, Rits, Foket, Hazard, Augustinsson… They also need to take more responsibility. Dendoncker has played very little in recent years. We shouldn’t blame everything on him."
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The Belgian publication also asked if the arrival of midfielder Cedric Hatenboer could limit the club's chances that they take up the option to sign Dendoncker permanently.
"If he already thinks that, he is mistaken," Renard responded. "Leander is a 38-time Rode Duivel. Of course, Hatenboer has to become an added value, and he will tighten the competition. But if our boys can’t handle that, they have to play golf. That’s not an issue as far as Dendoncker is concerned."
When asked about exercising Dendoncker's purchase option, he said: "No, that decision hasn’t been made yet."
Dendoncker has made 15 Belgian Pro League appearances this term and played six of the club's eight Europa League league phase matches too. He was handed the armband soon after arriving from Villa due to the long-term injury Vertonghen suffered at the start of the season, before manager Hubert reversed that decision in December.
"The captain’s armband is sometimes a tool," Hubert said. "To strengthen someone in a certain position. Or to allow someone to evolve further. But that doesn’t work for everyone. Sometimes a captain’s armband backfires.
"If someone is so honest about that, and I’m not talking so much about Leander, it’s a sign of courage and boldness. And of putting the team first."
He added: "Look, when your regular captain is absent, choices have to be made. And some of them were made when I wasn’t there. For me, it’s not an issue Leander and I talked about it. We made that choice together, aiming to get the best out of everyone.
"Not forgetting that expectations were sky-high when Leander returned last summer, while physically he came from afar. If that’s how you can then maybe take the pressure off a bit."
