Tau to play a season on loan with Anderlecht in Jupiler Pro League season
Percy Tau will play a season on loan at Anderlecht in the coming Belgian Jupiler Pro League season‚ reports in Belgium have confirmed.
A report in Belgium’s Gazet van Antwerpen said Tau arrived back in Belgium — where he turned out with mixed success for league champions Club Brugge last season — from SA on Monday to tie up a loan deal with RSC Anderlecht. The 202021 Belgian league season kicks off on Saturday.
This will be Bafana Bafana and former Mamelodi Sundowns star Tau’s third season at a third club on loan from English Premier League outfit Brighton & Hove Albion.
He turned out in the secondtier for Royal Union St Gilloise in 2018-19‚ winning the Belgian First Division B’s player of the season award. This past season Tau started on fire in the top tier for Brugge‚ but faded notably as the season continued.
“As announced‚ Percy Tau will play for Anderlecht next season. That loans him for one season without a purchase option from the English Brighton & Hove Albion club‚” the report in Gazet van Antwerpen stated.
“By the way‚ Tau already has a serious past in Belgium. First he was loaned to Union in 1B by his employer. He made such an impression that season‚ including in a cup match at Anderlecht‚ that Club Brugge saw something in him.
“The South African made a great start last year‚ and captured a lot of supporters’ hearts‚ but completely disappeared afterwards. The people of Bruges therefore decided not to continue with the flank attacker.
“Anderlecht still see value in Tau. He has to compete on the flank with Jeremy Doku. With his attractive playing style‚ Anderlecht hopes that Tau can quickly conquer the hearts of the purple and white fans.”
Tau also earned Caf Champions League and Europa League experience in 2019-20‚ including against Real Madrid and Manchester United.
He joins a club with a complicated coaching structure at present‚ which apparently played a role in their eighthplaced finish last campaign.
Former Manchester City defensive star Vincent Kompany was the player-manager last season‚ but poor results saw Belgian coaching legend Franky Vercauteren‚ who managed Anele Ngcongca for many seasons at Genk‚ brought in as head coach.
This preseason an injury has seen Kompany back on the bench with Vercauteren in friendlies‚ but issues over a trainer’s licence have raised the eyebrows of the football authorities and he may have to be back in the stands when official games begin.
Tau‚ the 2016 Caf Champions League winner with Sundowns‚ has 24 caps and nine goals for Bafana.