Cercle Brugge will relocate its first team and administration to the new training base at Gulden Kamer later this year. The move is a direct response to the impending construction work on Club Brugge's new stadium at Jan Breydel, which would cause significant noise and disruption.

CEO Klaas Reynaert confirmed that the pitches at Gulden Kamer will be laid this month and are expected to be playable by the end of 2026. The administration will move next month, permanently leaving the Jan Breydel and O-Forty in Oostkamp sites. Only Cercle Brugge's youth teams will remain training at Jan Breydel for an indefinite period, following Club Brugge's academy's permanent move to Schiervelde in Roeselare.

Container clearance

The relocation also means the end of the container complex at Jan Breydel. The office containers are rented and can be returned, while attempts will be made to sell the gym containers. The youth setup containers cannot be moved as they would collapse. This resolves one of the green-and-black issues, but the stadium dossier remains unresolved. Reynaert is searching for a location and negotiating with investors for a new Cercle Brugge stadium. The new Jan Breydel stadium is expected by 2029, and Cercle hopes to build its own stadium within three years to avoid temporary accommodation.

New reinforcements for the squad

The move coincides with the arrival of new players to strengthen the team. Luke Le Roux joined on a free transfer and signed a two-season contract. The 26-year-old South African central midfielder, a nine-time international, previously played in Sweden, the Netherlands, and made 16 appearances in the Championship for Portsmouth last season. His eligibility for Saturday's match against OH Leuven remains uncertain.

Another new signing is Tunde Akinsola, for whom Cercle Brugge paid 1.5 million euros to AVS. The 23-year-old Nigerian can play in multiple forward positions but is primarily used on the flank. "I can also play centrally as a striker," Akinsola said. "My speed is a weapon. Cercle's direct playing style suits me." His arrival is particularly welcome as striker Steve Ngoura is struggling to find the target, increasing the chance Akinsola will be used as a number nine. The sale of Ibrahima Diaby for 13.5 million euros last Sunday created room for these new attackers.

These reinforcements are needed for a team currently sitting 15th in the Jupiler Pro League with three points from six games. The last match, on Saturday, ended in a 1-1 draw against OH Leuven after a late penalty from Krys-Anthony Madou Kouassi. The full standings show a thirteen-point gap to leaders Union St. Gilloise. The next fixture is an away match against fourth-placed Charleroi on September 19. The upcoming fixtures are key to improve the league position. Injury woes also play a part, with Joel Ndala currently sidelined, affecting squad depth on the wings.

The report in full is at Nieuwsblad