Juventus defender Koni de Winter is a target for Southampton and Brighton but would choose Club Brugge over a move to the Premier League this summer, as reported by Voetbal24.
And before you start to question the wisdom of such a decision – yes, Belgium’s Jupiler League does not come close to the English top flight when it comes to exposure, quality or competition – there are a few reasons why De Winter sees Brugge as the logical next step in his development.
After winning the domestic title last season, Club Brugge will be playing European football in 2021/22.
Furthermore, the Blau-Zwarts also have an excellent track record when it comes to developing young talent.
The likes of Wesley Moraes, Marvelous Nakamba, Arnaut Danjuma, Jose Izquierdo and Emmanuel Dennis have moved to England following spells at the Jan Breydel Stadium too.
So don’t be surprised if De Winter ends up in the Premier League sooner rather than later, via a short stay in a league renowned for helping promising up-and-comers unleash their potential.
Will Koni de Winter turn down Southampton and Brighton this summer?
19-year-old De Winter has not played a single professional game for Juventus and will be allowed to leave for around £4 million, with Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Merih Demiral, Matthijs de Ligt and Crystal Palace target Radu Dragusin ahead of him in the pecking order.
Het Nieuwsblad reported last week that South Coast rivals Southampton and Brighton were interested. In Ralph Hasenhuttl and Graham Potter, both clubs have a coach renowned for talent-development.
According to Voetbal24, however, De Winter would choose Club Brugge over the Premier League. A potential move to England has been placed on the backburner – for now, at least.
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