Goalkeepers analysis of Anderlecht

Today lets talk about Belgian side Anderlecht. For those who dont know, Anderlecht have five goalkeepers under contract.

Hendrik Van Crombrugge

• 29 years (contract till 2025)

• Marketvalue: € 5.500.000

• Sorare limited price on 1/4/22 7day average: 0.095 eth

Bart Verbruggen

• 19 years (contract till 2025)

• Marketvalue: € 750.000 (under23 in SO5 till 2027)

• Sorare limited price on 1/4/22 7day average: 0.027 eth

Colin Coosemans

• 29 years (contract till 2023)

• Marketvalue: € 300.000

• Sorare limited price on 1/4/22 7day average: 0.0028 eth

Timo Wellenreuther

• 26 years (contract till 2024 - on loan to Willem II till summer 2022 without a buy option)

• Marketvalue: € 1.000.000

• Sorare limited price on 1/4/22 7day average: 0.044 eth

Rik Vercauteren

• 20 years (contract till 2022)

• Marketvalue: € 100.000 (under23 in SO5 till 2025)

• Sorare limited price on 1/4/22 7day average: 0.0049 eth

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Van Crombrugge is the number 1 goalie for Anderlecht this season, but was it that obvious before the season he would be the number 1? Van Crombrugge has a not so common history for a goalkeeper of a top4 team in Belgium, like Anderlecht is. Although he played as a youth player for Standard, he never got a chance there to gain a professional contract. He did get a pro contract in Sint-Truiden, but he only played 1 official league match, competition at that moment was hard and he only was 2nd or even 3rd goalkeeper. The contract was terminated, and he ended up training with the u21 of KV Mechelen for a couple of months, but without getting a contract. Honestly when something like that happens to a young 2nd or 3rd goalkeeper, you see them ending up in lower league football and that's it.

But that summer he did sign a contract with Eupen (2nd division at that moment). It didn't took that long after his arrival until he won the 1st goalkeeper spot and he would never leave that position for 5 years in a row. Even when Eupen won the promotion battle in 2016 and playing in the Jupiler Pro League.

Eupen was, and is, not a topflight team in the league, and it was more than once they were the team, which conceded most goals in a season. But Van Crombrugge always made a great impression, although conceding that many goals, he was also one of the keepers with most saves in the league.

He even was called up for the Belgian national team as 3rd goalkeeper, playing for Eupen. Teams started to get interested in signing him, with a lot rumours of different European teams. Ajax was more then a rumour, but it was to become the number 2, which he didn't want (imagine what could have happened to his career if he really made that move, knowing what happened to Onana). In the end he signed for Anderlecht, when they wanted to get rid of Didillon at that moment. New appointed manager Kompany wanted a goalkeeper who was able to participate in the game very often and not afraid to pass a lot, instead of kicking the ball away.

Important to know is that since a couple of years Anderlecht is not the topteam we used to know them for. Financially it became a mess, club was sold and debts starting to grow. Bringing in Van Crombrugge at that time, was a cheap option, hoping they

would sell Didillon at that time (which they eventually weren't able to do that year).

Playing a very good 1st season for Anderlecht, rumours came up again from European teams, but after transferwindow closed, he decided to sign a new contract with the club.

Unfortunately, not long after that he got seriously injured and needed surgery

losing the rest of the previous season. Number 2 Wellenreuther took over (and never convinced during the season), so by the end of that season Verbruggen got his chance for a month and did convince with great performances.

This start of the season it was very clear Van Crombrugge was back, being the captain of the team, and the 1st goalkeeper for the whole season. Do have to say that the 1st half of the season Anderlecht played a lot of average matches, where Van Crombrugge didn't always make that great impression (conceding a goal almost every match doesn't help, but also clear errors from him).

Criticism starting to grow. With Verbruggen, who made a great impression the season before, it was maybe time to give him another shot.

But the last couple of months Anderlecht is performing much better and consistent. Van Crombrugge himself is also back in showing his abilities and performing well. Rumours of a transfer will come back this summer for sure.

With the age he has + the current financial situation at the club, i wouldn't be surprised he is actually sold this summer. He stated last year that without his injury and Corona, he would already have played abroad, but also has a family and wants to do whats best for his family as well.

Do Europeans teams want to pay money for a 29 year old goalkeeper who only played in Belgium and still under contract till 2025?

Young Verbruggen, as mentioned before, made a big impression last season. In case Van Crombrugge leaves, it would seem logical Verbruggen gets his chance, but adding another goalie to give competition does make sense as well. Only rumour there

is Berke Özer (Fenerbahce), but he is already linked with a lot of teams in Europe. Or maybe Coosemans or Wellenreuther (back on loan from Willem II) can give him that competition. Very unclear what will or can happen with Wellenreuther next

season, Willem II already communicated they will not want to buy him.

In case Van Crombrugge does stay in Anderlecht, Verbruggen needs to gain experience as a 1st goalie somewhere. Anderlecht U21 will most probably play in the 2nd division (check my article about Club Brugge to understand how the U21 will be

integrated in the 2nd division) so that can be an option, but going on loan somewhere would be a genuine option. (he is Dutch, playing for a dutch team next season on loan? (pure speculation from me))

As you might have noticed in my previous articles, normally i don't write (or know) a lot about 3rd goalkeeper. With Coosemans it's different. This guy was the 1st goakeeper for years in different team in the Jupiler Pro League. Even playing more then 20 matches as the keeper from Club Brugge when he was only 19 years old. When Gent bought him 4 years ago, he would have expected to become the first keeper there, but since he arrived there, he hasn't play almost any match in 5 seasons in the JPL (including the current one at Anderlecht). Even more weird is that he signed this season as the official 3rd gk from Anderlecht. Club does see him as an important person in the squad for his personality, but well for Sorare card holders that sucks a lot. With a contract for another year, i dont expect him to move this summer.