Leander Dendoncker was called up for Belgium’s latest squad, but didn’t get a minute under Roberto Martinez.
The Wolves player remained on the bench for the friendly against Scotland, and the Nations League match against Iceland, both easy victories for Belgium.
It’s similar to the 23 year old’s Premier League chances so far this season – zero minutes.
Dendoncker did play the EFL Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday, but he’ll be hoping for much more in the coming months, if only to keep breath in his international career.
Thursday’s edition of Gazet van Antwerpen makes this very clear. With the young footballer viewed largely as a central defender in his home country, he’d up against strong competition.
The trio of Alderweireld-Kompany-Vertonghen is beyond question, and then Thomas Vermaelen backs those up along with Dedryck Boyata. Martinez is said to be looking to the Celtic player as a future senior player, and Watford’s Christian Kabasele also gets a mention.
For Dendoncker it’s pointed that he falls further behind the less he plays for Wolves.
On Kabasele, Martinez said last week: “I chose the same central defenders who were in the World Cup squad,” Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg quoted Martinez as saying.
“I also know that Kabasele has very good progress. We continue to follow him. But for these competitions, the intention was to have the four new guys. But, of course, Kabasele comes into consideration for next time.”
There’s a very good chance that if Dendoncker continues to sit on the bench, and Kabasele continues to impress, the Watford player will replace his Wolves rival in the next squad.
