It’s fair to say that the past two years have been interesting for Ritchie de Laet.
A permanent move to Aston Villa in 2016 did not work out well, with the best part of the last 24 months seeing him out on loan.
The first of those was six months at Royal Antwerp, a move designed for him to rebuild his fitness after spending nine months out with a knee injury.
In September 2018 he was then shipped out again, this time to Melbourne City in the Australian A-League. Upon his return to Aston Villa, who were now promoted to the Premier League, he quickly found himself on the released list.
This summer has seen him return to Royal Antwerp permanently; signing a two-year contract with the club he began his career at.
Swapping an English club for one in Belgian’s first division obviously means a drastic reduction in wages for De Laet, but in an interview with HLN, he insists he’s not complaining.
“It was no secret that I really wanted to go back to Antwerp,” He said.
“It is the club where everything started for me and that I have always followed. However, my manager was already busy with a few other things. Of course, I could not go ahead without knowing if there would actually be an offer from Antwerp.”
“Well now, I am very happy that it did happen and that I was able to pick up during the internship. I had to give up financially what I was used to in England for years, but I’m not complaining.”
For De Laet, football is more important than the money at this moment in time, particularly after his injury problems in the past.
And in that aspect, Royal Antwerp offers something different, with him explaining the challenge they face is what drew him to return.
“My wife and children also had a good time there (in Australia), but it is really far from home,” he adds.
“Moreover, we had to leave our dog in Belgium for a year, because he was not allowed to enter the country. And of course, there was also the sporting aspect.
“Football in Australia is pretty good, but not comparable to England or Belgium. The challenge that Antwerp faces is big – management and fans want more and more – but that appeals to me.”
Now he’s happy with his family and his dog back in Belgium. Money means a lot, but not everything.
