5 most valuable Belgian U-21 players - January 2022

Wolfsburg midfielder Aster Vranckx could soon make his international debut for Belgium.
Wolfsburg midfielder Aster Vranckx could soon make his international debut for Belgium.

#3 Yari Verschaeren - €11 million

Anderlecht starlet Yari Verschaeren
Anderlecht starlet Yari Verschaeren

It is no secret that Anderlecht have played a significant role in the development of Belgian football. They have produced and supplied top-class talent to the national team and various European clubs.

Yari Verschaeren is another addition to the list of talented Belgian players who represented Anderlecht in their youth. The attacking midfielder has been hailed by many as one who could be the face of the Belgian national team in the years to come.

Roberto Martinez handed the youngster his senior debut for the national side at the age of just 18.

Verschaeren has so far made six senior appearances for Belgium. He won the young Belgian Player of the Year award in his senior debut season with Anderlecht, and his stock has been on the rise since then.

The 19-year-old is technically gifted, and agile which, coupled with his impressive ball control, helps him glide on the pitch. Verschaeren is a great asset for teams that play possession-based football, as he likes to keep the ball and is a great passer.

In 97 appearances for Anderlecht across competitions, the midfielder has recorded 17 assists and as many goals.


#2 Jeremy Doku - €25 million

Belgium vs Italy - UEFA Euro 2020: Quarter-final
Belgium vs Italy - UEFA Euro 2020: Quarter-final

Stade Rennes forward Jeremy Doku is the second-most valuable U-21 Belgian player right now. He is also an Anderlecht graduate, and debuted for the club's senior team in 2018.

The winger had a successful 2019-20 campaign with Anderlecht, during which he made 27 appearances across competitions. He was signed by Ligue 1 club Rennes in October 2020 for €26 million.

Doku is a very entertaining player, as he has lots of tricks up his sleeve. Big things are expected of him, but despite the flare he possesses, his game remains a work in progress. His tally of four goals and five assists in 49 appearances for Rennes across competitions is underwhelming, considering the talent he has.

The 19-year-old will have to learn to make the most of the opportunities he gets. He has made ten appearances for the Belgium senior team thus far, bagging two goals and three assists.


#1 Charles De Ketelaere - €27 million

Club Brugge KV vs Zenit St. Petersburg: Group F - UEFA Champions League
Club Brugge KV vs Zenit St. Petersburg: Group F - UEFA Champions League

The versatile Club Brugge attacker Charles De Ketelaere is the most expensive Belgian U-21 player right now. Football wasn't the 20-year old's first sport, though. At ten, he showed signs of becoming a promising tennis player. However, he switched sports, and it is quite evident that he does not miss tennis anymore.

Since signing his first professional contract with his boyhood club in 2019, the player has made 105 appearances for the senior team across competitions. There is no outfield position where De Ketelaere cannot play in. He has been utilised as a winger, central midfielder and even left-back.

The youngster has a great sense of game awareness, and keeps himself composed in the most daunting of situations. The centre-forward is enjoying his most prolific spell currently, having scored ten goals and provided seven assists in 25 Jupiler Pro League games.

De Ketelaere was handed his national debut for the Belgian team back in November 2020. He featured in the UEFA Nations League third-place play-off against Italy as a substitute, where he opened his account for his country in a 2-1 defeat.

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Edited by Bhargav
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