There had been high hopes amongst fans of Anderlecht and Belgian football for Anouar Ait El Hadj when he made his debut as a teenager. The attacker was clearly talented, with an eye for goal and sound technique. However, injuries and incosistency meant he was never really able to break through as a regular starter for the Mauves. In the winter transfer window of the 2022/2023 season he moved to Genk. During the previous campaign he scored five goals in 27 games, the best return of his career. However, he again struggled to cement a starting place in the side.
This past summer, Union St Gilloise bought him back to Brussels. Initially, it looked like El Hadj would once again struggle to be anything but an impact sub. There were multiple times this season where he would not make the bench, and even if he did, would not make an appearance. However, in the past few weeks, the 22-year-old has really started to perform. In his past five matches he has scored three goals and provided three assists. To put these numbers into context, in the 25 games he had played for Union prior to this run he had only managed one goal and one assist.
Sofiane Boufal’s injury during the sides win over Antwerp to open the play-offs has given El Hadj the chance to start and really prove himself. He looks set to have the best season of his career statistically in terms of both goals and assists. With Union chasing a first title in over a century, the coming of age of the former Anderlecht prospect could be very welcome.
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Ben Jackson
