Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool were scouting Club Brugge left-back Maxim de Cuyper during the international break, per TBR Football.
The 23-year-old superstar is attracting a lot of interest from foreign suitors owing to his exploits in the Belgian Pro League.
Since his return from a two-year loan spell at KVC Westerlo, the talented defender has scored five goals and provided 16 assists in 72 appearances and has helped them lift four trophies at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
Even during his loan spell at Westerlo, De Cuyper made 27 goal contributions in 68 games. His impressive surge in form helped him secure a regular spot in the Blauw-Zwart’s starting XI this season.
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Belgian national team manager Domenico Tedesco recognised his hard work and rewarded him with a place in his team for the Euro 2024 campaign in Germany. However, the puddle-haired star didn’t make a single appearance along the European Championships. The Club Brugge ace was given another opportunity with a call for the ongoing Nations League qualifiers, and boy, he didn’t disappoint. His curling first-half goal sparked a comeback that helped Belgium snatch a point vs Italy last week.
Thinking outside the box 🧠
⚽ Goal of the Round contender from De Cuyper 🇧🇪#UNLGOTR | @AlipayPlus | #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/BSqUE1sr5S
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) October 10, 2024
He didn’t get a start against France in the recent game but looked bright when coming on as a substitute in the second half. Premier League clubs admire his attacking prowess as he is a pure modern-day footballer who can contribute in attack as a left-back. His assist statistics speak volumes of the tactical brilliance he possesses.
De Cuyper’s agent has confirmed that his client has caught the eye in the Serie A and other clubs might also join the race. As quoted by Numero Diez, he said:
“For obvious reasons, I can’t go into the names of the interested clubs. But Serie A is certainly a big league. He has to go step by step. At the moment, that is at Club Brugge.”
“And, at the right moment, he has to take the next step in his career. The only goal is to reach as high as possible and play for the best possible club.”
ESCLUSIVA 🔍 – Intervista all’agente di #DeCuyper, classe 2000 del #ClubBrugge in gol contro l’#Italia nel match di giovedì. 🗣️🇧🇪 [@il_rippa05]
📌 “Il gol? Sicuramente c’è orgoglio ma la vittoria è l’obiettivo più importante. Maxim De Cuyper è orgoglioso di poter giocare per…
— Numero Diez (@NumeroDiez_10) October 13, 2024
De Cuyper will add a new dimension to Arsenal’s defence
The Gooners are an ardent fan of the Club Brugge defender and will continue monitoring him in the Belgian league. It is said that the player’s parent club is asking for £17 million, a fee that top clubs like Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, and AC Milan can easily afford.
Arsenal need to manage their old-fashioned left-back department, with Jacob Kiwior and Kieran Tierney both facing uncertain futures at the Emirates Stadium.
The former is likely to join Scottish giants Celtic next summer, while the latter is being circled by the Italian clubs. Selling both players will make perfect sense since they no longer suit Mikel Arteta’s style of play.
De Cuyper is a natural left-back, someone that can contribute to attacks from behind. He has just started showing his hidden talents, and looking at the Belgian’s exploits with his national side, it’s only a matter of time before a big club comes calling.
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Liverpool are also eager to sign a long-term replacement for Andy Robertson, who will turn 31 soon. Meanwhile, Man City want to rotate players at the left side of defence and end their over-reliance on Josko Gvardiol.
Hence, it remains to be seen who will win this tight race to sign one of the most sought-after defensive talents in the world.
