Club Brugge will be desperate to retain Hans Vanaken as West Ham United renew their interest in the long-standing Premier League target, former Belgium international Vital Borkelmans tells Het Nieuwsblad.
Two years ago, Vanaken rebuffed West Ham’s advances before signing a new contract at the perennial Jupiler League champions. Why? Well, a combination of Brexit and the ongoing COVID crisis meant that as, far as Vanaken was concerned, late-2020 was not the ideal time for a change of scenery.
Flash forward to August 2022 and it seems that the midfielder’s stance has changed.
According to Het Laaste Nieuws, Vanakan is keen to find out what West Ham have to offer. Namely, Premier League football, a presumed pay rise, the chance to prove himself on a bigger stage, and great exposure ahead of the Qatar World Cup.
But Brugge, the report adds, have no intention of cashing in. And that comes as no surprise to former Blau-Zwart ace Borkelmans, highlighting the importance of Vanaken to Carl Hoefkins’ system and Brugge’s Champions League prospects.
Club Brugge desperate to block Hans Vanaken’s West Ham United move
“The entire team is built around him. If Hans leaves, you would have to actually start playing in a different system,” Borkelmans explains.
“But that doesn’t seem appropriate to me; Certainly not a few weeks before their first match in the Champions League, in which Club Brugge really want to score. Be sure that the club will make a firm effort (to stop him going).”
Vanaken, a two-time Belgian Footballer of the Year, is one of Europe’s most prolific goalscoring midfielders. He’s found the net over 100 times in 339 games for Club Brugge, while hitting double figures in 11 straight seasons.
But, at the age of 29, Borkelmans can understand why Vanaken may be getting itchy feet.
“Hans extended his contract not so long ago and he will also have received a pay rise,” Borkelmans adds. “But when a team like West Ham come knocking, it is not illogical that there is talk (of him going).”
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