Belgian Pro League 2026/2027 Preview: OH Leuven

Belgian Pro League 2026/2027 Preview: OH Leuven OH Leuven have once again changed manager to start the season. Felice Mazzu is out, with former Dender and Westerlo man Timmy Simons coming in. Can he finally help a side with a decent financial backing live up to its potential? Or will Leicester City’s relegation from the second tier of English football diverted attention away from OH Leuven and towards the struggling foxes? Transfers in: Emmanuel Addai (Qarabag), Jamie Lawrence (WSG Tirol), Takuya Ogiwara (Urawa Red Diamonds), Shin Yamada (Celtic), Dani van den Heuvel (Club Brugge), Lukasz Lakomy (Young Boys, converted loan) Transfers out: Romeo Monticelli (Francs Borains), Casper Terho (Sparta Rotterdam), Takuma Ominami (Varen Nagasaki), Sory Kaba (Al-Dhafra), Takahiro Akimoto (Machida Zelvia), Theo Radelet (RAAL La Louviere), Youssef Maziz (Colorado), Mathieu Maertens (free), Maxence Prevot (Dunkerque) Key player: Siebe Schrijvers As a younger player, Schijvers was seen as a striker/winger, but in recent years he has converted into a very good central midfielder. The 30-year-old has been OH Leuven’s best player for a number of years now, and will once again be key to their success this season. Injuries hampered him somewhat last season, with 30 games played and three goals scored. Keeping Schrijvers fit is key for an OH Leuven side that doesn’t have much recognisable Pro League quality. Young player to watch: Abdoul Traoré Traoré is only 19 but made 27 appearances for OH Leuven last season, scoring three goals. The side clearly rate Traoré highly, and perhaps he could become the striker they have been searching for over the past few seasons. Should Shin Yamada struggle to score, the youngster from Guinea will likely get even more chances this season under Simons, who has a track record of working well with young players. GBeNeFN  |  Ben Jackson