On November 25, 2018, the general public was introduced to Yari Verschaeren for the first time. In a competition on Stayen, Hein Vanhaezebrouck dropped him in the base. A month later his coach got the bons … Exit Vanhaezebrouck, but the career of Verschaeren was launched. In his first months and years it even went steeply uphill: ‘Player of the year’ at Anderlecht, voted ‘Young professional football player of the year’ (2019) and his first convocation letter for the Red Devils. Another Belgian star seemed born.
About five years later, that rising star was extinguished. There are various causes for that. First of all, Verschaeren had to deal with a host of physical ailments. The knee, the ankle, the groin, but especially that torn cruciate ligament: again and again the technician had to fight back, again and again his progression was slowed down. Giving up is not in his dictionary, that’s for sure. Yet Anderlecht fans are increasingly taking him on the grain. Another reason for this is all in all meager efficiency. In 224 matches for the main force of Purple & White, Verschaeren delivered 31 goals and 30 assists. That amounts to an average of around 4.5 per season. Too little for someone with his profile, the criticasters judge.
Another sigh in the stands of the Lotto Park – not just at his address, is the structural lack of depth. Most Anderlecht players are sufficiently skilled to keep the ball in the team, but rarely seek the verticality to start danger. Verschaeren is also sick in the same bed. With his low center of gravity and excellent ball assumption, he turns his opponent’s best way. Unfortunately he usually does that … backwards. When that also flows into the ball loss, such as in the play-offs against Union, a flute concert dares to erupt.
Passed
As a debutant, Verschaeren himself heralded a generation of very young kets that made the purple-white audience dream away. Together with Francis Amuzu, Jérémy Doku and Albert Sambi Lokonga, among others, they challenged the established order. In the meantime, those buddies of the past have all shifted their horizons (although Amuzu also clung to the familiar nest for a long time). Verschaeren not yet. On the contrary, the midfielder is being surpassed. In the last year of the Jupiler Pro League, which had 40 match days, he was kicking off 24 times. Or in other words: not 16 times. There is therefore strong competition in his position. Thorgan Hazard, Mario Stroeykens and even Tristan Degreef were already preferred. The Lotto Park does not necessarily make it, since each of that three places more risk in its game.
And so Verschaeren now stands for the most difficult dilemma from his career. Is a departure from his home environment? A business component is added. After all, Verschaeren started his last contract year and there are currently no conversations about an extension. Anderlecht also has a motivation for a departure. As mentioned above, there are already some worthy alternatives in the selection. In addition, during this summer march, Olivier Renard focuses on a different, more specific physical interpretation of midfield. With Enric Llansana and Nathan-Dylan Saliba, he already won two calves. Do they serve to relieve Verschaeren, or simply to replace it?
If he decides to stay, those newcomers can also help refresh his status on Anderlecht. Lately, Verschaeren has increasingly been pulled away from his natural habitat. Sometimes as a flank attacker, in the play-offs even on the eight … However, his profile comes directly from the handbook of the number ten. If Anderlecht demands to see the old Verschaeren again, it will probably work in its familiar position. With two real defensive midfielders in his back in his back, as it was rarely the case in recent years. They can provide him with the necessary oxygen.
Although it is mainly up to Verschaeren himself to determine where he wants to breathe in that fresh oxygen. Perhaps it would be great for his personal development to visit other places. He has been playing football in purple and white colors since he was ninth. Of course a few things have changed on Anderlecht at that time, but the daily routine often remains the same. That too can just be one of the reasons for his ramped evolution. A new working environment, with a new way of working, most employees have on time and once needed. To Verschaeren to fish out how he can best stimulate himself.
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