lukaku, hazard, defour and the 10 belgian whizz-kids every club wants - facts, stats and video!
by Sian Parry,Tuesday, July 26
Belgium is producing some of the most mouth-watering footballing talent in Europe at the moment; with the likes of Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku filling the back pages each day as clubs around the world pursue their signatures. Others such as Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen, Manchester City's Vincent Kompany and Everton's Marouane Fellaini have already proved their worth in the Premier League. With excitement building around Belgium's young national squad, talkSPORT takes a look at the 10 Belgian whizz-kids every team is after…
ROMELU LUKAKU
Position: Striker
Age: 18
Club: Anderlecht
Rumoured interest from: Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, AC Milan, Barcelona
At 6ft 3in and built like a boxer, Romelu Lukaku is not your average 18-year-old and his goal scoring record is phenomenal for such a young player. Pacey and powerful, Lukaku was the top scorer in Belgium's Juliper League for the 2009/10 season at just 16, banging in 15 goals to help Anderlecht to the title. Chelsea and Arsenal are said to have made 'concrete' offers for the exciting striker.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH7aOG263tw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
EDEN HAZARD
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 20
Club: Lille
Rumoured interest from: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan
Belgian international Eden Hazard made his Lille debut at the tender age of 16 and played a starring role in their French title win last season. Hazard is a skillful midfielder who can operate on either flank, leading his former coach Claude Puel to dub him “little Messi”.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGr9KUpPdI&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
STEVEN DEFOUR
Position: Midfield
Age: 23
Club: Standard Liege
Rumoured interest from: Manchester United, Arsenal, Porto
Standard Liege's captain has drawn admiration from Sir Alex Ferguson and when he broke his foot during a game last year, the Manchester United gaffer sent him a letter of encouragement. The central midfielder won the Golden Shoe award for best player in Belgium in 2007.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThstnJ7LU8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
JELLE VOSSEN
Position: Striker
Age: 22
Club: Racing Genk
Rumoured interest from: Aston Villa, Everton, Fiorentina, Genoa
The striker drew attention from Premier League clubs at the end of last year when he started banging in the goals and he eventually finished as the Juliper League's leading goalscorer with 17. A natural born striker, Vossen has a great first touch and excellent finishing skills.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQAYkqe65KY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
KEVIN DE BRUYNE
Position: Winger
Age: 20
Club: KRC Genk
Rumoured interest from: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool
De Bruyne likes to cut in from the left by using his speed and dribbling skills to skip past oppostition. Chelsea have stepped up their interest in the lively midfielder and they look set to try and seal the deal by sending him back on loan to the Belgian club.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sairNgdN4qo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
JAN VERTONGHEN
Position: Central defender/ defensive midfielder
Age: 24
Club: Ajax
Rumoured interest from: Arsenal, Manchester City
Vertonghen has expressed his wish to move away from Frank De Boer's Ajax team, but the Dutch club have revealed his contract release clause is well over £15million. Ajax's technical director, Danny Blind said: "There are some clubs in England that are willing to pay those kind of fees, but Jan is pretty picky when it comes to a potential new club." The left-footed defender is experienced and if he were to join Arsenal, he could play with his national team centre-half partner Thomas Vermaelen.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q42t2mD1-_0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
ALEX WITSEL
Position: Midfielder
Age: 22
Club: Benfica
Rumoured interest from: Despite interest from Chelsea, Milan and Arsenal, Benfica were the team that secured his services and he signed for the Portuguese club in an £8m deal earlier this month. The strong midfielder has earned a reputation for being an overly aggressive player, but also a fantastic box-to-box midfielder with a great eye for goal.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nobmN4v9Jpg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
THIBAUT COURTOIS
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 19
Club: Chelsea
Rumoured interest from: Recently signed to Chelsea for £7m but will be going on loan to Atletico Madrid next season. Lauded as one of the most exciting young goalkeepers in Europe, Courtois put pen to paper with the Blues where it is hoped he will be Petr Cech's natual successor. Last year Courtois won the Belgian goalkeeper of the year award and at previous club Genk, the player of the season award.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yp75cWaQj0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
JONATHAN LEGEAR
Position: Winger
Age: 24
Club: Anderlecht
Rumoured interest from: Newcastle, Everton, PSG
The Magpies were linked to the young Anderlecht star when Chris Hughton was in charge last year but the 24-year-old, who can also play up front, is still being linked with a possible move to the Premier League. For around £4m clubs can expect to get a fast winger, whose endless creativity would be an asset to any team.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GctChOxaEiY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
YASSINE EL GHANASSY
Position: Winger
Age: 21
Club: Gent
Rumoured interest from: Manchester City
Playing as a winger, El Ghanassy favours the left side and the highly-skilled player was chased by Manchester City back in January, but the move did not come to fruition. Moroccan-born El Ghannassy currently represents the Belgian U21 side.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svRT-rRZzFw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine...z-kids-every-club-wants-facts-stats-and-video
2 young wingers and a central defender that we have rumored interest in. Would be good ones for the future.
by Sian Parry,Tuesday, July 26
Belgium is producing some of the most mouth-watering footballing talent in Europe at the moment; with the likes of Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku filling the back pages each day as clubs around the world pursue their signatures. Others such as Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen, Manchester City's Vincent Kompany and Everton's Marouane Fellaini have already proved their worth in the Premier League. With excitement building around Belgium's young national squad, talkSPORT takes a look at the 10 Belgian whizz-kids every team is after…
ROMELU LUKAKU
Position: Striker
Age: 18
Club: Anderlecht
Rumoured interest from: Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, AC Milan, Barcelona
At 6ft 3in and built like a boxer, Romelu Lukaku is not your average 18-year-old and his goal scoring record is phenomenal for such a young player. Pacey and powerful, Lukaku was the top scorer in Belgium's Juliper League for the 2009/10 season at just 16, banging in 15 goals to help Anderlecht to the title. Chelsea and Arsenal are said to have made 'concrete' offers for the exciting striker.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH7aOG263tw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
EDEN HAZARD
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 20
Club: Lille
Rumoured interest from: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan
Belgian international Eden Hazard made his Lille debut at the tender age of 16 and played a starring role in their French title win last season. Hazard is a skillful midfielder who can operate on either flank, leading his former coach Claude Puel to dub him “little Messi”.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGr9KUpPdI&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
STEVEN DEFOUR
Position: Midfield
Age: 23
Club: Standard Liege
Rumoured interest from: Manchester United, Arsenal, Porto
Standard Liege's captain has drawn admiration from Sir Alex Ferguson and when he broke his foot during a game last year, the Manchester United gaffer sent him a letter of encouragement. The central midfielder won the Golden Shoe award for best player in Belgium in 2007.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThstnJ7LU8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
JELLE VOSSEN
Position: Striker
Age: 22
Club: Racing Genk
Rumoured interest from: Aston Villa, Everton, Fiorentina, Genoa
The striker drew attention from Premier League clubs at the end of last year when he started banging in the goals and he eventually finished as the Juliper League's leading goalscorer with 17. A natural born striker, Vossen has a great first touch and excellent finishing skills.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQAYkqe65KY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
KEVIN DE BRUYNE
Position: Winger
Age: 20
Club: KRC Genk
Rumoured interest from: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool
De Bruyne likes to cut in from the left by using his speed and dribbling skills to skip past oppostition. Chelsea have stepped up their interest in the lively midfielder and they look set to try and seal the deal by sending him back on loan to the Belgian club.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sairNgdN4qo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
JAN VERTONGHEN
Position: Central defender/ defensive midfielder
Age: 24
Club: Ajax
Rumoured interest from: Arsenal, Manchester City
Vertonghen has expressed his wish to move away from Frank De Boer's Ajax team, but the Dutch club have revealed his contract release clause is well over £15million. Ajax's technical director, Danny Blind said: "There are some clubs in England that are willing to pay those kind of fees, but Jan is pretty picky when it comes to a potential new club." The left-footed defender is experienced and if he were to join Arsenal, he could play with his national team centre-half partner Thomas Vermaelen.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q42t2mD1-_0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
ALEX WITSEL
Position: Midfielder
Age: 22
Club: Benfica
Rumoured interest from: Despite interest from Chelsea, Milan and Arsenal, Benfica were the team that secured his services and he signed for the Portuguese club in an £8m deal earlier this month. The strong midfielder has earned a reputation for being an overly aggressive player, but also a fantastic box-to-box midfielder with a great eye for goal.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nobmN4v9Jpg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
THIBAUT COURTOIS
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 19
Club: Chelsea
Rumoured interest from: Recently signed to Chelsea for £7m but will be going on loan to Atletico Madrid next season. Lauded as one of the most exciting young goalkeepers in Europe, Courtois put pen to paper with the Blues where it is hoped he will be Petr Cech's natual successor. Last year Courtois won the Belgian goalkeeper of the year award and at previous club Genk, the player of the season award.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yp75cWaQj0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
JONATHAN LEGEAR
Position: Winger
Age: 24
Club: Anderlecht
Rumoured interest from: Newcastle, Everton, PSG
The Magpies were linked to the young Anderlecht star when Chris Hughton was in charge last year but the 24-year-old, who can also play up front, is still being linked with a possible move to the Premier League. For around £4m clubs can expect to get a fast winger, whose endless creativity would be an asset to any team.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GctChOxaEiY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
YASSINE EL GHANASSY
Position: Winger
Age: 21
Club: Gent
Rumoured interest from: Manchester City
Playing as a winger, El Ghanassy favours the left side and the highly-skilled player was chased by Manchester City back in January, but the move did not come to fruition. Moroccan-born El Ghannassy currently represents the Belgian U21 side.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svRT-rRZzFw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine...z-kids-every-club-wants-facts-stats-and-video
2 young wingers and a central defender that we have rumored interest in. Would be good ones for the future.