Former Premier League defender Jan Vertonghen is not surprised to see Bart Verbruggen linked with ‘top European clubs’ as Liverpool and Manchester United eye the one-time Burnley target, speaking to Het Laaste Nieuws.
The 20-year-old shot-stopper has only been a first-team regular at Anderlecht for a matter of weeks. Maintain his current form, however, and club captain Hendrick van Crombrugge won’t be getting his starting spot back any time soon.
Verbruggen has now kept clean sheets in each of his last three outings, including during a shock 1-0 win away at Villarreal which set up Anderlecht’s UEFA Conference League quarter-final clash with AZ Alkmaar.
Verbruggen was outstanding in Spain on Thursday night; his cat-like reflexes and impressive distribution catching the eye of Liverpool and a Manchester United side on the lookout for a more technically-gifted glovesman to compete with David de Gea.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Burnley like Bart Verbruggen
“For me, Verbruggen has the potential to become one of the best goalkeepers in Europe,” says veteran defender Vertonghen, who spent nearly a decade at Tottenham before returning to Belgium with Anderlecht.
“We are also very close. We are practically neighbours in Antwerp. I have rarely seen such a personality at that age; Modest, but very driven and ambitious. If I’m a top European club and I have the money to spend, I wouldn’t hesitate (to buy him).”
Verbruggen, who saved all three of Ludogorets’ penalties during a one-sided shoot-out earlier on in the Conference League campaign, saw a potential £5 million summer move to Burnley fall through due to problems with his work permit.
And the Netherlands youth star appears none the wiser about whether or not he will still be Anderlecht’s number one in 2023/24, having recently admitted that a Premier League move would be a ’dream’.
“(It is) a compliment that Kompany wanted to sign me,” Verbruggen smiles. “Playing in England is a dream. And I could have learned a lot from him and Jelle ten Rouwelaar (Burnley’s goalkeeper coach).
“But, at Anderlecht, I have nothing to complain about.”
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