Eden Witsel

Striker - Lokeren
17 Oct 2026
Saturday
Process

Marked for Eden Witsel

7 Edition

The Lokeren Chronicle

14 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Crisis

Player ratings

Both of them Zinho Lukaku's — 8.49

2 goals, and the second was the one that settled it. Marked 8.49, and he could have had a third with better luck at the near post.

Squad

A muscle injury sidelines Eden Witsel for 15 days

Nobody makes a documentary about a hamstring and everybody in the game fears one. Lokeren will be careful with the return date, because the second one is always worse than the first.

Match

Zinho Lukaku’s goal not enough for Lokeren

Zinho Lukaku scored, and precious little else went right: 2‑3 to Racing Genk, and a quiet walk to the dressing room.

Squad

Seiji Kimura stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Seiji Kimura and Lokeren agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Tempers go at Lokeren

Seiji Kimura was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

Words at Lokeren training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Lucas Salinas is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

Player ratings

Marcos Silva runs at them all day

Successful dribbles: 18. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.

Match

No time for Racing Genk to settle

The goal that put Racing Genk ahead was still being replayed on the concourse when Lokeren equalised, 4 minutes later. Leads are only worth what you do with them.

Market

Still no ink between Lokeren and Ethan Butera

“We keep meeting, and we keep leaving the room with the same numbers we walked in with.” Another round of talks at Lokeren, another week without a signature from Ethan Butera.

In brief

Back issues
2 Edition

The Lokeren Chronicle

10 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Player ratings

Nobody could get near Zinho Lukaku

Successful dribbles: 55. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.

Market

Hans Courtois sold, and an era ends

$15.6M from Manchester City for Hans Courtois. Money is money, but the dressing room has lost the man it looked to.

Market

Lokeren turn down Farense for Jean-Luc Denis

The offer was not close and it was refused without much discussion. Whether the second one is refused as quickly is another matter.

The terraces

Supporters turn on the $15.6M sale of Hans Courtois

He is going to Manchester City, the club has $15.6M it did not have on Friday, and the phone-ins have already decided how they feel about that. Selling well and selling somebody they loved are not the same skill.

Squad

Dries Witsel signs on for more

“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Dries Witsel and Lokeren agree another 5 years.

Squad

Tempers go at Lokeren

Jean-Luc Denis was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Market

Thorgan Vertonghen wants more than Lokeren are offering

“I have ambitions, and I would like the club to share them.” Nobody has asked to leave and nobody has been shown the door — but a player chooses that sentence carefully, and a boardroom hears it exactly as it was meant.

Squad

No hiding place for Christian Mertens

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Christian Mertens, and the manager let it.

Player ratings

Simon Carrasco stands above it all

Some games turn on a moment; this one turned on a man. 7.80 on the card, and the Lokeren support went home talking about one name.

In brief