Aston Villa: Andre Green returns to Portsmouth lineup following knee surgery, scores

Aston Villa winger André Green returned to Portsmouth’s starting XI following a layoff from knee surgery. Now healthy, the 20-year old looks to make an impact in League One.

Steve Bruce’s decision to loan André Green out was a curious one just a few months ago. The winger looked the part at Aston Villa – a player who would fight for a place in the starting XI, and, at worse, rotate with Albert Adomah, Anwar El Ghazi, and Yannick Bolasie on occasion. If not for a groin surgery last season, we could have seen him extensively through the campaign as he wan early Fall starter – on the verge of breaking out.

Instead, he was jettisoned to Portsmouth in League One for consistent playing time. So far that has not happened as the injury bug struck Green again. A cyst inside the knee kept him out after making just two appearances following the loan switch.

On Tuesday, Green made his comeback.

He scored in Pompey’s 3-2 victory over Tottenham’s U21s in the EFL Checkatrade Trophy – playing 65 minutes in his return. The win puts the club top of Group A on three wins from three matches. The group also includes Gillingham and Crawley Town.

None in the Villa Academy can match Green’s skill-set. Without a doubt, he has the highest ceiling of any Villa attacker aged 21 and under. Previous injuries and this cyst, however, have cut into valuable development time for the player.

In retrospect, if Green can become a fixture at Portsmouth this season, it will have been a successful decision to loan him out. All that’s left for the player is to get out there, healthy, and produce on the pitch. We know he definitely has the talent.