Club Brugge revamps youth coaching and tackles talent pipeline issues

Australian assistant coach Jesse Hesford left his role with KAA Gent's U23 side to become a T2 coach at Club Brugge's youth outfit Club NXT. Hesford, who arrived in Belgium last season, helped Gent's youngsters win the 1st National VV and achieve promotion before moving to the Bruges club.

Club Brugge's own youth team NXT recently reached the Youth League final, but the senior side has struggled to graduate academy players to the first team. Since the breakout of Joaquin Seys and Chemsdine Talbi in 2024/25, no other prospect has secured a regular spot. The club is banking on 17‑year‑old Gianluca Okon‑Engstler, 16‑year‑old Tian Nai Koren and goalkeeper Argus Vanden Driessche to break the trend, while also monitoring other prospects such as Samba Coulibaly and Yanis Musuayi.