---
title: "Aston Villa: Bjorn Engels not in Dean Smith’s plans"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-bjorn-engels-not-in-dean-smiths-plans/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa"
published: "2021-04-02T15:05:37Z"
modified: "2021-04-02T15:05:37Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Bjorn Engels not in Dean Smith’s plans

**Aston Villa defender Bjorn Engels is no longer in Dean Smith’s plans, with a summer exit now looking likely.**

That’s according to a report from [VoetbelKrant](https://www.voetbalkrant.com/nieuws/2021-03-31/antwerp-fc-wil-bjorn-engels-van-aston-villa-terug-naar-belgie-halen), cited by [Birmingham Live](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-engels-20304903), who claim that Royal Antwerp are in pole position to sign the 26-year-old.

Antwerp, who tried to sign the Belgian in January, are thought to be at the front of the queue for the centre-back.

### Engels’ pricey Villa stint

\[freshpress-quiz id=”350804″\]

Engels, who is on [£55,000 per week](https://www.spotrac.com/epl/aston-villa-fc/payroll/) at Villa Park, has made just [19](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bjorn-engels/leistungsdaten/spieler/193469) appearances in the Midlands following his [£7.2m move from Stade Reims in 2019](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bjorn-engels/transfers/spieler/193469).

That works out at £379,000 per appearance, and it seems as if his disappointing stay in England will come to an end over the next few months.

\[freshpress-poll id=”341000″\]

### Transfer Tavern take

Engels’ [Transfermarkt valuation](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bjorn-engels/marktwertverlauf/spieler/193469) has plummeted from [£10.8m to £3.6m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bjorn-engels/marktwertverlauf/spieler/193469) over the last 16 months, and a summer exit would certainly seem to be the right decision.

He [hasn’t made a Premier League appearance this season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bjorn-engels/leistungsdaten/spieler/193469), with Smith [mainly using Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/24/Show/England-Aston-Villa) as a central defensive partnership.

Kortney Hause is another centre-back who appears to be [above Engels in the pecking order](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/24/Show/England-Aston-Villa), and Villa’s task now is to try and recoup as much of the [£7.2m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bjorn-engels/transfers/spieler/193469) they paid for the Belgian two years ago as they can.

***In other news: Many AVFC fans react to transfer update on Jack Grealish, find out more [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-transfer-rumours/aston-villa-fans-react-to-citys-grealish-update/).***