K.R.C. Genk is finalizing two reinforcements for its defense and midfield. According to a liveblog by HLN Voetbal on 29 August 2026, the club is close to signing 24-year-old Belgian defender Christiaan Ravych from Cercle Brugge and is loaning Bosnian midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic from Brondby.
Genk currently sits fourth in the Jupiler Pro League with seven points from four matches. Wouter Vrancken's team has scored twelve goals and conceded eight, giving them a goal difference of plus four. They trail leaders Club Brugge KV by two points. Their next fixture is an away match against Anderlecht on 6 September.
Who is new defender Christiaan Ravych?
Christiaan Ravych is a 24-year-old Belgian central defender. He came through the youth academy at Club Brugge and moved to city rivals Cercle Brugge in 2021. He made his debut for Cercle in 2022 and has since played over one hundred matches for the club. Ravych was under contract with Cercle until 2027, with an option for an additional season. Cercle Brugge is asking for around four million euros for his services, HLN reports. The arrival of Ravych comes as Genk was seeking an additional defender. He will compete with Matte Smets, Josue Kongolo, Elie Mbavu, and Adrian Palacios for a starting spot. The situations of Mujaid Sadick, who is training individually, and Hendrik Van Crombrugge, who is considered surplus to requirements, highlight the need for fresh defensive options. You can view the current roster on our squad page.
What does the arrival of Benjamin Tahirovic mean?
Alongside a defender, Genk was also looking for a new defensive midfielder, a 'number six'. An initial offer was made for 22-year-old Croatian Niko Sigur from Hajduk Split. That deal did not materialize, but the one for Benjamin Tahirovic did. The Bosnian midfielder joins from Danish side Brondby, where he moved last winter from Ajax. Tahirovic joins Genk on loan with an option to buy. His medical was scheduled for Tuesday, 29 August. Tahirovic's arrival is meant to strengthen the midfield and bring more balance. Genk has already made several changes to its squad this summer and remains active in the market. The current standings show the team is doing well, but further reinforcements could aid in the title race.
What other business is ongoing?
There is also movement regarding outgoing players. The future of Zakaria El Ouahdi is a particular topic. The 24-year-old Moroccan international is a target for Hamburg (HSV). The German club made a third offer on 28 August, which reports suggest might still be insufficient. The player himself is willing to move. His father and agent, Mohamed Achahbar, said: "Er is inderdaad een akkoord met Hamburg vanuit onze kant. We willen deze stap zetten en wachten op een akkoord tussen de clubs." The transfer window is drawing to a close and Genk is working to finalize its squad. The signings of Ravych and Tahirovic are concrete steps. The team is meanwhile preparing for the important away match against Anderlecht, a fixture you can follow on our fixtures page. With these new additions, the club hopes to continue its strong start to the season, with recent form reading win, draw, win, loss (WDWL), and close the gap to Club Brugge.
