Fulham are trying to make coveted Club Brugge centre back Bjorn Engels their latest summer signing, according to a report in this morning’s Daily Mail.
Slavisa Jokanovic has been eager to recruit another centre back as the Whites conclude their transfer business this week and Fulham are keen on the highly-rated Belgian youth international. Engels, 22, was the subject of significant summer interest from Stoke City before Mark Hughes switched his attention to the Tottenham defender Kevin Wimmer.
Engels, who at 6ft 4ins, would fit the specification of a tall, imposing defender that Jokanovic is rumoured to be looking for in the final hours of the August transfer window can also play in midfield and has emerged as one of Belgium’s leading prospects. The former under-21 international, who was on the cusp of a call-up to the senior side for Euro 2016 before an untimely thigh injury ruled him out of the tournament, has starred for Club Brugge since coming through their academy – and has won the league title, the Belgian Cup and Super Cup with the Blauw-Zwart.
He has made 97 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, and appeared regularly in both the Europa League and the Champions League. Engels wouldn’t come cheap, however, with Brugge rumoured to have rebuffed an £8m bid from Stoke for his services as they look to recoup as much money as possible for one of their leading young players who remains under contract until 2020.
