This is the goalkeeper situation at OHLeuven
Updated: Jul 7, 2022
Today let's talk about Belgian side OH Leuven. For those who dont know, OH Leuven have four goalkeepers under contract.
Runar Runarsson
27 years (on loan from Arsenal, with buy option)
Marketvalue: € 1.200.000
Sorare limited price on 17/4/22 7day average: 0.03 eth
Rafael Romo
32 years (contract till 2022)
Marketvalue: € 450.000
Sorare limited price on 17/4/22 7day average: 0.015 eth
Oregan Ravet
20 years (contract till 2023)
Marketvalue: € 50.000
Sorare limited price on 17/4/22 7day average: 0.004 eth
Kawin Thamsatchanan
32 years (contract till 2023, on loan to Port FC (Thailand) till summer 2022 with a buy option)
Marketvalue: € 200.000
Sorare limited price on 17/4/22 7day average: 0.002 eth
One of the few teams in the Jupiler Pro League, who changed their 1st gk in the middle of the season, from Romo to Runarsson, where the last one took over in november to play the rest of the season.
Runarsson started his career in Iceland, playing a couple of matches in their 1st division (when he was 18 years old), before making a move to Denmark and being part of the squad from FC Nordsjaelland. He made his debut the 2nd season at the club, but it would take a couple of seasons more before he could actually gain the 1st spot.
David Jensen (now playing for Westerlo) was at the club and he was their 1st gk for a three seasons in a row. When Jensen left to Utrecht, Runarsson got his chance and played for a couple of months. But he couldn't keep his spot and Ajax-loanee Groothuizen (now playing for FC Emmen) got his chance as 1st gk. It was an important moment in his career, cause it seemed that he lost his spot for the rest of the season. But Groothuizen got seriously injured and after the winter break Runarsson played all matches. Season after, he confirmed the consistent level he was achieving the 2nd part of the season before, and some foreign teams started to get interested. He ended up in French side Dijon (ligue 1 at that time), where he had to fight his spot against Allain (now at
Darkurd FF), both played some matches, but Runarsson played most of them. It was clear that the club would bring in another goalkeeper. Although Runarsson started the season, A. Gomis (now at Rennes) took over and made a big impression as their 1st gk. Runarsson only played some more matches when Gomis got injured. It was kind of a
surprise Arsenal paid 2M € for him as a competitor for Leno in summer 2020. Being benched a full season, even bringing in another goalie (Mathew Ryan) in winter as the 2nd gk, he knew he had to make a move away from Arsenal last summer.
Arriving on loan in Leuven he didn't became number 1 immediately. Romo was their 1st gk and although it made sense the club brought in another gk to bring competition, it seemed logical Romo stayed number 1 as a fan favorite and playing a more then decent season the year before.
But bad team performances during the first months of the season, and some small errors made by Romo, gave the chance to Runarsson to come into the team. He played on a consistent level and it made sense there was no reason to change goalkeepers again.
Runarsson is on loan from Arsenal with a buy option. We dont know the fee, but Arsenal doesn't want him back next season to become the 3rd gk.
He still has a contract till 2024, so he will not be for free, but it would make sense
Arsenal will not make it difficult for Runarsson to go. If Leuven actually will sign him, depends on the fee to be paid.
It does make sense imo that they would buy Runarsson, especially cause Romo is leaving this summer, bringing in two new keepers is always more difficult. The club also has more then 10 contracts finishing this summer, so their transferfocus will be more on the other positions.
And they have to sign at least 1 other gk to bring competition for
Runarsson. If Leuven doesn't sign him after all, dont expect him to be in Arsenal next season.
Important to know is that Leuven has the same owners as Leicester. So there is some money and the current manager stated last year, they want to win the league within 3 years time. They have a lot of signings to do if they will want to achieve that.
Romo started this season as the number 1 and played all season before, where he actually made a very good impression. The Venezualian international played already in some countries in Europe: Italy, Denmark and Cyprus.
In Belgium he is known from the season he played for Beerschot in the 2nd division. His contract finishes this summer,
and he is about to sign for DC United to give competition to Bill Hamid. His former Beerschot teammate Losada is the current manager there, and who knows what he can achieve there, although all MLS specialists don't expect Romo to play as long as Hamid is at the club.
Ravet is a youngster from the club with a contract till next summer, not expected that he would become the 2nd gk. Also Thamsatchanan is not seen in that role, and would make sense he stays in Thailand with Port FC, where he is on loan to (option to buy). Only rumour till now who they might sign as extra gk is Gillekens (Mouscron), who is a youth player from Leuven, but it seems there are a lot of Belgian clubs are interested in him after his good season as 1st gk in the 2nd division.