Aston Villa will be without Ritchie De Laet for the start of the Sky Bet Championship season, according to the Express.  

De Laet is currently out of action with a wrist injury, and will not be fit enough to return for Villa’s opening day clash with Hull City, despite his injury not been too serious.

A broken wrist is the latest of a long line of injuries De Laet has suffered since his arrival at Villa Park last summer.

The right-back missed the majority of last season with knee and hamstring injuries, and was limited to just three appearances in the Championship.

De Laet’s most recent injury will not keep him out of action for too long, and the 28-year-old will hope to be back in training next week.

The former Manchester United defender will be competing with James Bree and Alan Hutton for the right-back berth at Villa Park, whilst new addition, Ahmed Elmohamady, could also provide cover.

Hutton was Bruce’s first-choice last season, but the Scottish full-back is reportedly on the radar of Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland and could potentially be on the move this summer.

The potential departure of Hutton would leave the door open for De Laet to challenge Bree for a regular place in the starting XI.

The Verdict

Whilst De Laet’s latest setback is a disappointment for himself, Bruce will not be too worried heading into Villa’s opening day fixture, as Hutton, Bree and Elmohamady all offer Villa with capable options in De Laet’s absence.

Villa’s supporters will be excited to see what De Laet has to offer this season, and it will be interesting to see who Bruce picks as his first-choice at right-back, with so many options available to him at this current time.

Aston Villa fans… Let us know your thoughts!