For RSC Anderlecht, the winter break is almost coming to an end. On Thursday, the Mauves et Blancs will resume competition with a Cup match against Beerschot. Meanwhile, sporting director Olivier Renard is already very active on the transfer market, and a real offensive is expected from Neerpede.
After the break, Anderlecht will be engaged on three fronts. The club aims to reach the semi-finals of the Croky Cup by eliminating Beerschot VA. At the same time, the RSCA is well placed to qualify directly for the 1/8 finals of the Europa League. Finally, in the Jupiler Pro League, the objective is to reduce the gap with the championship leaders.
The selection of coach David Hubert will therefore have to be sufficiently solid and fleshed out to hold up on all these fronts. In addition, Olivier Renard, during his first transfer window as sporting director, wants to make an impression. The memory of his predecessor Jesper Fredberg, criticized for a disappointing summer transfer window, could also motivate him to act forcefully.
Reinforcements expected
In the coming weeks, reinforcements are expected. The first recruit appears to be César ‘Chino’ Huerta. Although the death of his grandmother and prolonged negotiations with his current club have delayed his arrival, the Mexican winger is still expected.
The priority nevertheless remains the strengthening of defense. Initially, the idea was to recruit a single central defender. However, Jan Vertonghen’s new injury and the possible departure of Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jørgensen have changed the situation: at least two new defenders should arrive in January. Renard is therefore exploring several avenues to meet these needs.
If finances permit, a fourth winter reinforcement could also be considered. According to SudPresse, the arrival of an additional attacker is not excluded. This striker could compete with Luis Vazquez and Kasper Dolberg, while being a potential successor to the Danish striker. Finding this profile within the current budgetary framework will not be an easy task, however.
Young people will not come up
Furthermore, Anderlecht does not plan to massively promote players from its hopeful team, the RSCA Futures, who are currently fighting for their maintenance.
The next few weeks therefore promise to be particularly busy for Olivier Renard, with the hope of significantly strengthening the Mauves et Blancs squad to face the second part of the season.
