Bjorn Engels has become the third player from Aston Villa’s summer 2019 recruitment drive to leave the club, after Villa confirmed he will be sold to Royal Antwerp.
The defender heads for the exit door, following Jota, who lasted just 16 months at Villa Park, and Tom Heaton, who was released at the end of his contract.
Signed for a modest transfer fee of around £7m from Reims, Engels’ claret and blue career began with promise, but ultimately ended with disappointment.
The Belgian quickly established himself as Dean Smith’s preferred option alongside Tyrone Mings in defence, starting on the opening day of the season.
His 6’4 frame made him formidable in the air, but a glaring lack of pace left him exposed against the elite athletes of England’s top flight.
Unfortunately for Engels, his final appearance at Villa Park will live in the memories of Villa fans for the wrong reasons.
Engels brought down Heung-Min Son for a penalty just before half time, later redeeming himself by scoring a second-half equaliser.
But in the final minute of the game, his poor first touch gifted the ball to Son, who dashed through to score a winning goal which at the time appeared to be a hammer blow to Villa’s chances of avoiding relegation.
He kept his place for the subsequent matches; the Carabao Cup final and the 4-0 away defeat to Leicester City, but when Covid-19 postponed football, it also effectively brought an end to Engels’ Villa career.
When the Premier League returned, a calf injury for Engels opened the door for Ezri Konsa, who finished out the season as Villa’s defence tightened up.
For the 2019/20 season, the football rating site WhoScored.com gave Engels a grade of 6.61, which was 58th out of the 62 Premier League centre-backs with at least 10 appearances.
Whilst that’s not great, it was a better rating than Konsa received for the same season (6.47), and was only marginally worse than Mings (6.63).
But Konsa’s dramatic improvement in 2020/21 cemented his place in the back four and slammed the door on Engels’ hopes of returning to a starting role.
Any minutes going spare due to suspension or injury were given to Kortney Hause, who was reliable when called upon, pushing Engels even further down the pecking order.
Not satisfied with warming the bench any longer, Engels knew his future lay elsewhere.
And so ended his time with Villa, a spell which consisted of just 17 Premier League appearances, with all of those coming in his first season.
Now Engels returns home to Belgium for his next opportunity, and a good one to potentially correct the course of his career trajectory.
Royal Antwerp made the knockout stages of the Europa League last season, before being eliminated by Rangers, and they qualified for the competition again this year.
That stage will give Engels a chance to showcase his ability against high-level competition, and he will line up alongside another former Villan in Ritchie De Laet as well.
Engels’ departure leaves Dean Smith with just three senior centre-backs to choose from, with their targeted replacement yet to reveal himself.
If Aston Villa are to seriously challenge for European football this season and beyond, some ruthless decision making will be needed with regard to the ability of the squad.
The sale of Bjorn Engels is just that, as Dean Smith, Christian Purslow and Johan Lange continue their efforts to perpetually improve the quality of their team.
The Villa Ramble 
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