Royal Antwerp FC has secured the services of Dutch defender Glenn Bijl on a one-year contract, with an option for an additional season. The 30-year-old joins the Belgian club on a free transfer after his previous contract with Russian side KS Samara concluded.
Bijl’s arrival addresses Antwerp’s need for reinforcements in the right-back position, a role that became vacant following the departures of Jelle Bataille and Denis Odoi. while Thibo Somers, a recent acquisition, can play on the right side of defense, he prefers a more advanced midfield role. bijl, who is also capable of playing in midfield, is expected to provide experienced competition for younger players like Kobe Corbanie and Semm Renders.
The signing of Bijl aligns with Antwerp’s strategy under Marc Overmars, who has been managing a limited budget. The club has already brought in several new players, including Geoffry Hairemans and Daam Foulon on free transfers, and Taishi Brandon Nozawa and Mukhammadali Urinboev for a combined fee of three million euros. Antwerp had previously pursued Matija Nastasic for their central defense, but that deal ultimately fell thru.