Player profile 

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When it comes to developing young players in European football, few leagues can rival the Belgian Jupiler Pro League’s expertise. Whether it be Igor Thiago, Jérémy Doku, Charles De Ketelaere or many more, there’s no denying that the league knows a thing or two about turning young talents into future world stars. And at Anderlecht, the small nation may have a new playmaking talent who will go on to be very popular in the summer transfer window.

While “Les Mauve et Blanc” may be having a rather unremarkable league season, as Jérémy Taravel’s side languish in sixth place in the league table, fans have been treated to some outstanding performances from young midfielder Nathan de Cat throughout the league campaign. After making his debut for the first team last season, De Cat quickly nailed down a starting spot this term and hasn’t looked back.

Across all competitions, De Cat has bagged three goals and five assists from midfield in 39 appearances across all competitions. That, consequently, has seen his market value shoot up to €25 million. That is an increase of €22.5m since the start of this season and the highest rise in market value for any player in world football, outside of Europe’s top five leagues. So, how good is De Cat and is he destined for a big move this summer?

“He can play all three positions in midfield,” notes Bart Tamysn, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager for Belgium, when asked about De Cat’s progress this season. “Most of the time he’s a box-to-box player, but he can also play as a defensive midfielder and the last few games he even played as an attacking midfielder and scored, gave assists. Basically, he’s got the whole package.”

However, while De Cat has clearly thrived in the Belgian top-flight, his tender age of just 17 can’t be overlooked. And, as Tamysn points out, that likely means he isn’t quite ready to make an immediate move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs this summer. “If there’s just one thing he needs to improve on, then it’s his physical ability,” added Tamysn. “Even without Anderlecht playing European football, just weekend games, every four or five games, he needs to be substituted because he’s just so fatigued. Against Club Brugge, after just 38 minutes of play, he was already standing there bent over his knees. That’s why he’s still not the most valuable player in Belgium, because we still see improvement he needs to make.”

Despite De Cat’s obvious room for growth, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive regarding his future at Anderlecht. The midfield’s current contract expires in 2027, and with no new deal looking likely as negotiations continue to drag on between the player and the club, it seems more than likely that the young midfielder will likely be sold this summer. Since the start of 2026, no fewer than eight clubs have been linked with a move for De Cat, but the three front-runners seem to be RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich. According to Tamysn, Bayern may have an advantage due to the fact that Vincent Kompany knows the young midfielder “by heart” and “every little detail about him” due to frequent visits to Anderlecht to talk to the young star. However, a move to a smaller club may make more sense in the immediate term for the Belgium international.

Rumour
	N. De Cat
	Central Midfield
RSC Anderlecht ? Leipzig Jupiler Pro League Bundesliga

Rumour
	N. De Cat
	Central Midfield
RSC Anderlecht   49 % Bayern Munich Jupiler Pro League Bundesliga

Rumour
	N. De Cat
	Central Midfield
RSC Anderlecht ? Tottenham Jupiler Pro League Premier League

“He can go to a top five league, probably a top club from the top five leagues, but he will be loaned out,” suggested the Belgian football expert. “A similar case as we saw with Luka Vušković at Tottenham, who has now been loaned out for the second season in a row. I’d rather see a path like Luka Vušković, with some loans before he’s physically ready to compete for the top clubs, where you also have to compete at European levels.”

Although De Cat may not be ready for the biggest stage yet, he’ll still demand a large transfer fee to reflect his blossoming market value. And, according to Tamysn, he’ll almost certainly break Anderlecht’s transfer record, which was set in 2020 when Doku was sold to Stade Rennais for €26m. “If we’re talking about a transfer fee, then we’re thinking in the region of €25-30m,” said Tamysn. “If it’s a bidding war, then it will go above €30m. If it’s just one club that puts pressure on it, then it will be more around €25m. The top transfer fee for Anderlecht was Doku to Standard, and they’ll probably want to break it with him.”