Defender Bjorn Engels has insisted he cherishes his time at Aston Villa, despite it being considered a failure by many.
The centre back departed Villa Park for Royal Antwerp this summer, having found himself down the pecking order at the club.
He had been a regular for Aston Villa in his first season when he arrived from Stade Reims, making 19 appearances in all competitions.
That sadly didn’t continue last season, though, with a calf injury and the form of the likes of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, meaning he didn’t make a single appearance for the club.
That led to him returning to Belgium this summer in search of the regular playing time that wasn’t on offer under Dean Smith.
His time at Aston Villa has been considered a disappointment given his lack of appearances last season, but the defender doesn’t see it that way personally.
“I need playing minutes, then I will grow,” he told Het Laaste Nieuws.
“At Aston Villa, after a good debut season and an unfortunate injury, I didn’t get a chance to play. 
“My competitors did fine; they were never suspended or injured – then you can’t claim anything. But when in that context Antwerp comes, you start to think. “Failed’: that is easy to say. I played the final of the League Cup against City at Wembley in front of 90,000 spectators – we were close to overtime then.
“I cherish those moments. It was my childhood dream to play Premier League football, and I achieved it. I am proud of my track record.
“Never say never (to a return), but I have seen it for a while abroad. Now I want to achieve something with Antwerp.”
