Will Matte Smets move to AA Gent? — © Isosport
Matte Smets (20) is more than likely ready for his last match for STVV on Sunday in the derby against KRC Genk. AA Gent and STVV reached an agreement on a transfer at club level.
Gunter Schoofs and David Vandenbroeck
Today at 1:15 PM
Matte Smets is doing well this season at STVV, but there is a good chance that he will leave this winter. AA Gent is keen on the Belgian central defender.
The Buffaloes are still looking for reinforcements at the back and are working hard on the file. Louwagie and co have now reached an agreement with the STVV leadership about the transfer of the promising defender.
In Sint-Truiden they preferred not to sell Smets until the summer, because he is already an absolute pillar, but they now showed themselves willing to cooperate. It was always said at Tiensesteenweg that the club was forced to sell one to two players in the short term. Since Ghent has money and wants to put money on the table for Smets, everything can and will probably gain momentum in the coming days.
If a deal is reached quickly, STVV would of course first want to line up Smets in Sunday’s derby against Racing Genk. Of course, Ghent still has to convince the young Bilzenaar himself to take the step, but he would benefit considerably from a sporting and financial point of view. Smets, a youth product of the Truienaars, has played 39 matches for his club so far. He is also a Belgian youth international.
Matt Smets. — © Karel Hemerijckx
Also interested in Hashioka and Bocat
Now that the end of the winter mercato is approaching, several files are becoming concrete in Sint-Truiden. At STVV it was assumed that Daiki Hashioka would have already been transferred in the summer. That is why Frederic Ananou was recruited. The German is also now ready to accept an outgoing transfer from Hashioka. Bochum is currently in pole position. STVV is also in danger of losing a player on the other flank: Eric Bocat. STVV seems to have Japanese Ogawa in reserve for Bocat. But sell Smets and Hashioka and Bocat? Of course, we haven’t gotten that far yet
The most difficult point for STVV will therefore be – in addition to the search for a striker – finding a replacement for Matte Smets if he moves to Ghent. The club currently does not have that in its ranks, certainly not in the short term.
Hashioka. — © Isosport
Bocat. — © Isosport