Belgian manager claims European veteran is so good he could play for Manchester City

Club Brugge veteran attacking midfielder Hans Vanaken would do well at Manchester City if he were to sign, former Rangers manager Philippe Clement has stated.

Vanaken has made a name for himself at the Jupiler Pro League side and has resided in the league since 2015, making 529 appearances for the club so far while scoring 145 goals and producing 110 assists.

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The 33-year-old mainly plays in the attacking midfielder role but can also drop back slightly to provide structure in transition. Vanaken is often sought as the creative and technical hub of Brugge’s setup.

Eye-catching, too, is the way the Belgium international can switch between playing short, one-touch football and changing the entire point of attack with perfectly weighted long balls.

His ability is something that Clement is no stranger to either, having coached him during his three-year spell as Brugge manager between 2019 and 2022, where Vanaken picked up 61 goal contributions in 122 matches.

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Clement, who is yet to return to the dugout since leaving his role at Rangers in February, explained to Het Laatste Nieuws, as relayed by Sports Witness, that Vanaken can make a difference in any team.

“In my meetings, Hans was always one of the main points of attention,” Clement said. “What he really struggled with in the beginning was man-to-man marking.

“(Vanaken is) a player who was constantly on his ties for 90 minutes, could really get to him, even during matches. That’s improved over the years.

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“Hans can make a difference in any team with players running around him. He could even play perfectly at Manchester City. I’m absolutely convinced of that.”

It isn’t the first time that Vanaken has been praised by a successful manager either. Pep Guardiola sung the praises of the midfielder last year.

“Hans Vanaken is an exceptional player,” Guardiola said in 2024. “He plays long balls but also combines well with the fast wingers.”

Despite Guardiola’s eulogy, there has never been any link between Vanaken and City, who conducted a major rejig of an ageing squad in Hugo Viana’s first summer as sporting director in the recent transfer window and have usually refrained from recruiting regular starters over 30 under their Abu Dhabi ownership.

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