Scout Report: The Belgian Pro League’s hottest prospects
The Belgian Pro League has a documented history of producing elite footballers.
Home-grown talents such as Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois have established themselves among the game’s finest players after cutting their teeth in the division, while foreign imports like Victor Osimhen and Jonathan David have also seen their development benefit from stints in Belgium’s top flight.
So who are the hottest prospects in the Belgian Pro League this season? We used the Twenty3 Toolbox to find out.
Hugo Siquet (Cercle Brugge)
Cercle Brugge right-back Hugo Siquet stands out as a startlingly complete modern wide defender.
The 21-year-old contributes to attacks in a meaningful way, ranking top of the Belgian Pro League among players aged 22 or under for crosses attempted (82) and completed (29), as well as sequences ending in the final third featured in (481).
Many young, exciting flying full-backs catch the eye for their flashy forward play, but what is remarkable about Siquet is his ability to pair that with diligent defensive work – something that is often found lacking in professionals many years his senior in his position.
No player in the division under the age of 23 can better his totals for successful defensive actions (223), defensive duels won (98) or interceptions (116).
The Belgian’s tireless engine enables him to utilise his tough-tackling talents in advanced areas, forcing turnovers in advantageous positions – he has completed 77 ball recoveries in the opposition half so far this term.
Siquet’s future is undoubtedly bright if he continues to develop in this manner.
Jarne Steuckers (Sint-Truiden)
Sint-Truiden supporters will be excited by the creative qualities displayed by attacking midfielder Jarne Steuckers this season.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder – who has primarily played off the right wing this term – has racked up three Belgian Pro League assists so far, but his expected assists total of 4.41 suggests he has been unfortunate not to notch more.
No player aged 22 or under in the division has completed more key passes (18) or through-balls (11), while his total of 43 shots assisted is also a league-leading figure in that age category.
The Belgian is more than just a chance-creating machine, too. He is smooth with the ball at his feet and is capable of gliding up the pitch – evidenced by his 59 progressive runs.
Steuckers’ capacity to progress the ball into dangerous areas, through a potent mix of both clever passing and ball-carrying, make him a particularly exciting prospect.
Thiago (Club Brugge)
Club Brugge centre-forward Thiago is certainly one to watch this campaign – the Brazilian has scored five times in the Belgian Pro League to date.
However, the underlying numbers suggest the 22-year-old has deserved more – none of his age-group peers can better his xG of 5.58 or his post-shot xG of 5.96, and he also ranks top in this age category for expected goals contribution (7.2).
Thiago is more than just a prolific poacher, though – his work off the ball is exemplary.
The striker has attempted 145 pressing duels, leading the line with vigour and working hard for his team – not just himself.
Many modern coaches demand relentless work-rate from their centre-forwards and Thiago provides that in spades.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha (Antwerp)
Like Thiago, Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha has also netted five Belgian Pro League goals this term.
The 22-year-old left winger is a rounded attacker, demonstrating a range of well-developed skills.
His eight direct goal contributions, 77 touches in the opposition box and 180 attempted attacking actions are all more than any other player under the age of 23 in the league.
These are impressive numbers and depict the winger’s determination to get into goalscoring positions and make things happen.
Balikwisha’s profile also reveals the threat he poses on the break, ranking top in his age category for xG from counter-attacks (1), while his contribution to the press is best highlighted by his 12 dangerous ball recoveries in the opposition half.
A winger who can score and assist while offering both speed on the break and intelligent pressing at just 22 is a hot prospect indeed.
All visualisations in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.