Hans Vanaken should turn down West Ham United for a second time and stay at Club Brugge, former Premier League ace and Belgium international Philippe Albert tells RTBF Live on Facebook.
The Qatar World Cup, Albert points out, is just three months away.
What happens to Vanaken if he cannot adapt immediately to life in a new league, and a new country? What if the 29-year-old, having spent the entirety of his career back home in Belgium, finds himself stuck on the bench behind Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice?
A player of Vanaken’s experience and talent should be, quite simply, too good to fail. But the Premier League has claimed the reputations of many a high-quality footballer over the years and Albert, who knows the hustle and bustle of English football like the back of his hand, believes that embarking upon a whole new challenge on the eve of a World Cup is a risk not worth taking.
Will Hans Vanaken get his West Ham United move?
“For me, he has to stay at Brugge. He’s flourished at this club, the fans love him. Sometimes it’s better to stay where you are,” says the Newcastle United legend.
“His goal is to be part of the Rote Duivels squad in three months, and he has the qualities to impose himself in this team. Vanaken has never disappointed in the national team, and you never know what can happen to some players (at new clubs).
“I’m not sure he would be a full-fledged starter at West Ham. The Premier League is a whole different world. It’s going five to six times faster and there is a lot more contact.”
Vanaken turned down West Ham during the summer of 2020. Two years on, however, the two-time Belgian Footballer of the Year appears to have changed his tune. Perhaps he feels, at the age of 29, opportunities like this might not come around again.
Either way, West Ham will going nowhere fast unless they are willing to substantially increase their initial £8 million offer; one Brugge batted away without a second thought (The Guardian).
“10 million euros is far too little for Vanaken, who is a double Golden Shoe (winner) and five-time Belgian champion. Between 20 and 25 million would be logical,” Albert adds.
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