Latest news with #OHLeuven
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Belgian Pro League Season Review: OH Leuven
Finish Position: 12th Overview: OH Leuven continued their recent trend of finishing within the mid-table places, as their season petered out towards the end. Despite drawing five of their first six play-off matches, Chris Coleman's side still had an outside chance of finishing top of the Conference League Group. However four defeats in their last four matches condemned OH to last place in the group. Chris Coleman took over at the end of November, yet reports are stating that the club want to bring in David Hubert to take charge, as they don't feel Coleman is the right man to lead the team further. Advertisement In the Belgian Cup, they made it to the quarter-final stage, before being knocked out by Club Brugge. Player of the Season: Tobe Leysen Leuven struggled to find a consistent goalscorer this campaign but defensively they remained strong in many games. One of the key reasons for this was through the performances of goalkeeper Leysen. According to FotMob, he claimed nine man-of-the-match performances and kept 11 clean sheets throughout the course of the campaign. His most impressive statistic is the fact that he has prevented 9.42 goals. The 23-year-old has enjoyed the best season of his career so far, and Leuven will be glad to know that this summer they won't need a different number one. Young Player of the Season: Ezechiel Banzuzi The Dutch midfielder has imposed himself as a real presence in the Pro League and, as a result, has earned a move to RB Leipzig in a €16m move. This is record sale for Leuven, and it's no shock as to why. Banzuzi finished the campaign with two goals and five assists and won over half of his duels and aerial duels. As Banzuzi moves to Germany, Leuven will need to find someone who can fill that role in midfield. Summer Needs: As previously mentioned, Leuven have €16m to play around with following the sale of Banzuz, with a replacement being the utmost priority. They are currently linked with defender Seid Korac, a 23-year-old Luxembourg international. He plays for Serbian outfit Vojvodina, and would cost €1.5m. A big issue for OH this season was the lack of a consistent goalscorer, with only Siebe Schrijvers and Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi scoring more than four league goals. If Leuven want to push towards European qualification, a prolific talisman is a piece of the puzzle that they need. Grade: B- GBENeFN | Samuel Fabre
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Rangers winger attracting 'interest' from three clubs
Sky Sports claims that OH Leuven, FC Basel, and FC Cincinnati are keen on the 22-year-old. McCausland, who has played 66 senior games for the Ibrox club, could be on the move this summer despite having two years left on his contract. Read more: The Belgian, Swiss, and MLS clubs are said to favour a permanent deal for the Northern Ireland international. This comes as new Rangers head coach, Russell Martin, made his stance clear on the future of midfielders Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin. The 39-year-old coach was asked about the duo's future at his unveiling at Ibrox on Thursday. Martin said: "We have to try and keep our best players. "And I think we're all really aligned with that. "So, unless things come in that really help the club to build and move forward, I don't think it's a necessity to do that at all. "That's my understanding of it." Both Raskin and Diomande impressed for Rangers last season, each netting in a 3-2 victory over Celtic at Parkhead.
The National
3 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Trio of clubs 'express interest' in Rangers' Ross McCausland
The 22-year-old has played 66 senior games for the Ibrox club since emerging through the academy ranks. With two years remaining on his deal, McCausland could be on the move this summer. Read more: Indeed, Belgian top-flight outfit OH Leuven, along with Swiss champions FC Basel and FC Cincinnati of the MLS, have expressed interest in the attacker, claims Sky Sports. The three clubs are said to prefer a permanent deal for the Northern Ireland international. It comes after new Rangers head coach Russell Martin made his feelings clear on the future of midfield duo Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin. The 39-year-old was quizzed directly on the future of the midfield pair after he was unveiled at Ibrox on Thursday. "We have to try and keep our best players," said Martin. "And I think we're all really aligned with that. "So, unless things come in that really help the club to build and move forward, I don't think it's a necessity to do that at all. That's my understanding of it. "And we've all been really clear on it. So we'll just have to wait and see. But I'm looking forward to working with those guys." Both Raskin and Diomande caught the eye for Rangers last season, each scoring in a memorable 3-2 victory over Celtic at Parkhead.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘I never expected it to go like this' OH Leuven midfielder who almost quit professional football signs contract extension through to 2028
OH Leuven have announced that midfielder Wouter George has signed a new contract until 2028. The midfielder, who came over from Gent in the summer of 2022, has had a breakout season with the side. The 23-year-old has played 16 games this season, having spent the past few seasons playing for the sides U23 team in the lower reaches of Belgian football. He has clearly impressed Chris Coleman since the former Wales manager arrived, with George having started a handful of games and regularly appearing off the bench. In an interview with the clubs website, George revealed that he almost quit professional football. His main aim this season had been to play regularly for the second team, but after impressing he was promoted to the first team and has not looked back. George said 'I started without expectations, I mainly wanted to get fit again and play as many minutes as possible with the U23 to feel like a footballer again. The difference between ten months ago and where I am now is enormous. From almost quitting to being a professional footballer. That is super positive. I never expected it to go like this, but if you give it your all and keep believing, anything is possible'. Advertisement George will now be hoping to push for a regular starting place next season. Another young midfielder, Ezechial Banzuzi, is set to depart for RB Leipzig at the end of the season. His departure will leave a spot open in central midfield that George could certainly look to compete for. Coleman appears keen to give players a chance to impress during the play-offs ahead of next season. This contract extension is evidence that George is part of the head coaches plans going into the 2025/2026 campaign. GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
West Ham handed new boost over Ezechiel Banzuzi as summer transfer battle looms
West Ham transfer target Ezechiel Banzuzi is expected to leave Belgian club OH Leuven this summer. The Hammers tried to sign the 20-year-old in January and remain one of a number of sides interested in him. More than half-a-dozen clubs enquired about his availability in January, with West Ham and Monaco entering into negotiations with the Leuven board and Banzuzi's representatives. However, an agreement with either club could not be reached. Internally, Leuven placed a valuation of €15million (£12.6m) on the midfielder. Standard Sport understands that West Ham are among a host of clubs still tracking Banzuzi ahead of a potential swoop in the summer window, when Leuven are braced to lose him if an interested party offers a sufficient fee. He has three goals and six assists in 30 appearances for the Belgian Pro League side so far this season. Banzuzi's performances in two seasons with Dutch side NAC Breda earned him the move to Leuven in June 2023. He has since nailed down a starting berth in a year-and-a-half with Leuven, where he is deployed either on the left of a midfield three or in a double pivot. Banzuzi is under contract at Leuven until June 2026 and is currently on international duty with the Netherlands Under-21s, who face Italy and Romania in friendlies over the next five days.
