As Burnley, a newcomer to the Premier League, competes with Liverpool and Manchester United for the Anderlecht star, Bart Verbruggen is destined to become one of the "top five goalkeepers in the world."
It is simple to overlook the fact that Verbruggen has only been a member of the first team for around four months. The Netherlands young star, who is only 20 years old, carries himself with the wisdom and assurance of someone who has been around for a long time.
In recent games, Verbruggen has maintained six straight clean sheets. He also eliminated Ludogorets from the UEFA Conference League with his penalty-saving genius, and Verbruggen put on another masterful performance in the round of 16 against Villarreal.
Both Liverpool and a Manchester United team looking to replace David de Gea long-term are said to have noticed the youngster's exceptional reflexes.
Tuur Dierckx of KV Westerlo, who was unable to beat Verbruggen during a scoreless draw earlier this month, thinks the £15 million-rated goalkeeper is headed for the top of the international game.
“At Anderlecht there was one player on the field who was two or three classes better than the rest. Verbruggen is not normal,” Dierckx tells 90 Minutes.
“He will be among the top five in the world. And I mean that seriously. He has everything to become that.”
In the summer of 2022, Verbruggen, who made his first-team debut at Anderlecht under Vincent Kompany, was on the verge of joining Burnley. The Sun claims that the Clarets are still interested.
Kompany is a product of Pep Guardiola's tactical academy. In his strategy, a goalie must serve as both the first and last lines of defense.
“He plays as ‘number ten’ from the back,” Dierckx adds. “His passing, that is also not normal. I was really impressed by Verbruggen.”
Even though Kompany did help the Clarets return to the Premier League last week, some experts think Burnley's chances of success are over.
“He is simply unstoppable,” former Netherlands goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus tells Rondo. “This is (former Liverpool ace) Sander Westerveld, but even better. He was also a keeper who had everything. The body, physicality.
“That, Bart has too, only Bart is even better. Verbruggen has the peaceful mindset. If you talk to him, he is not a 20-year-old boy. He’s an adult guy. He knows exactly what he wants. I think he is already the best Dutch keeper at the moment, yes.
“He won’t go there (to Burnley) anymore.”
Newcastle United wants Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio
At the end of the current campaign, Newcastle United is reportedly interested in signing Goncalo Inacio.
The 21-year-old is one of the most gifted young defenders in Europe, and the Magpies may find him to be a wise long-term investment.
This season, Newcastle has one of the top defenses in the Premier League, and they're seeking to strengthen it. When the season is over, it will be intriguing to see if they can reach an agreement with Sporting CP.
A Football Insider report claims that the Portuguese defender will probably cost around £45 million. Newcastle is one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, so they undoubtedly have the funds to support him.
The 21-year-old's Premier League opponents, Manchester United, are also interested in signing him, so they will have competition.
At the end of the season, the Red Devils are likely to lose players like Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire. They will need to be effectively replaced, and Erik ten Hag will need to upgrade his defense.
A great addition, Inacio would make an excellent understudy for guys like Raphael Varane. The 21-year-old possesses all the skills necessary to grow into a future star, and working with a manager like Erik ten Hag may enable him to realize his potential.
Throughout his managerial career, Eddie Howe has done well to develop gifted young players, and Newcastle would be a good fit for him as well.
Both teams are in a good position to qualify for the Champions League the following season, therefore it is still unclear where the 21-year-old will finish up.
Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund, a 20-year-old prospect who competes for Atalanta BC in Italy, is reportedly attracting interest from Real Madrid, according to sources from the Danish publication BT.
The player is the subject of intense discussion at the club offices, and a "letter of interest" from the club officials confirms their intentions. Interestingly, Manchester United has also sent in a letter requesting the star and is interested in him.
The 20-year-old prodigy, who primarily plays as a center-forward, only recently made the transition to Europe's top leagues. He signed with Serie A team Atalanta in August 2022 after periods in Denmark and Austria, and the team has had success so far.
Hojlund has made 26 starts in the Italian top division, scoring seven goals and dishing out two assists. He makes one significant chance thus far and little under one important pass each game.
Given the amount of teams interested in Hojlund and the fact that his contract with Atalanta expires in the summer of 2027, a big transfer fee is probably on the horizon.
In fact, as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski, La Liga rivals Barcelona are thought to be keenly monitoring his position as well.
Similar to their Catalan rivals, Real Madrid are in desperate need of a replacement for star Karim Benzema. Although the Frenchman has been in excellent form lately, the first half of the season demonstrates why the Merengues must prioritize the center-forward position.
Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are just two of the numerous well-known athletes whom Los Blancos have their eye on. And now Hojlund has also become a potential target; the Merengues are rumored to have a real interest in the 20-year-old striker.
However, given how Luka Jovic's case ended up, it is still unclear if they will bet on Hojlund, who has very little experience in the top division
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