Player explains why he turned down Nottingham Forest – Decided to put his family first

KRC Genk goalkeeper Hendrik Van Crombrugge has revealed he turned down a move to Nottingham Forest in the January transfer window after deciding it wasn’t best for his family. The goalkeeper has been speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws regarding his move to Genk, who he joined in the summer transfer window. That deal came following months of speculation about his future at Anderlecht, after he had found himself out of the picture in favour of highly rated Bart Verbruggen.

He had been close to an exit in the January transfer window, when Nottingham Forest made their move for him as a replacement for the injured Dean Henderson. That deal looked likely to go through, but Van Crombrugge decided to stay where he was until the end of the season, with Nottingham Forest eventually signing Keylor Navas instead. Van Crombrugge eventually moved to Genk, albeit for the same figures involved in the potential move to the City Ground, raising the question of why he simply didn’t join the Premier League side rather than endure a difficult final few months at Anderlecht. He, though, says it was a personal matter, as he did not believe a move to England was best for him or, more importantly,

“I received that call from my agent in the last hours of the winter mercato,” he explained.

“I was standing at the school gate at the time and had to make a decision with the snap of my fingers.” Anderlecht were delighted to see me go.

“I couldn’t turn my family’s world on its head.” I respected the decision to withdraw. Anderlecht had no choice but to assume that I would be there for a few more months.

“Regrets are unnecessary in a football career.” My family is sacred to me, and they will always come first. I had planned ahead of time which places I would visit.

“Germany was on that list because my wife and children are fluent in the language.” England was not one of them.