Eyebrows raised as Kortrijk winger set to earn a surprising move to Blackburn Rovers | OneFootball

Het Nieuwsblad are reporting that Blackburn Rovers are set to complete the signing of Dion De Neve from KV Kortrijk. The 23-year-old former Zulte Waregem winger is set to leave the side that were relegated from the Belgian Pro League a few months ago to join the Championship side. The paper has not revealed how long the contract will be for De Neve, or how much Blackburn have spent on the Belgian. Given that his contract with Kortrijk was set to expire in 2026, the fee is likely to be less than the €1.2m he is valued by Transfermarkt.

De Neve looked to be set for a bright future after breaking into the Zulte Waregem first team during the 2021/2022 season. After two goals and one assist the youngster moved to the sides local rivals in Kortrijk. Yet over the past three seasons he has failed to really progress as much as had been hoped. The former Belgian youth international has scored five goals in 82 games for the side and grabbed seven assists. Last season, as the side got relegated, he played 32 games, with two goals and three assists. He was also not a regular starter for the side, with only 67% of his appearances being as a starter.

Clearly, Blackburn have seen something in De Neve that they like. He certainly will bring versatility to the side, being able to play as either a full-back or winger. However, how well he can adapt to the league remains to be seen. Last season one of the top left-backs outside of the top six clubs, Eric Bocat, left the join Stoke City. Despite having played well for Sint Truiden over the past few seasons, Bocat struggled to perform to the same level for Stoke. Hopefully, a move to England can help De Neve develop into the player many hoped he would become when he emerged at Zulte Waregem.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson