Van Damme bound for Anderlecht

RSC Anderlecht are to sign defender Jelle Van Damme from English side Southampton FC while also securing the services of KAA Gent's Moroccan international Mbark Boussoufa.

Official presentation
The 22-year-old left-back Van Damme will be unveiled on Wednesday, when the Brussels giants will announce the length of his contract after the clubs agreed an undisclosed sum. The Belgian international has not played in his home country since leaving KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen during the 2001/02 campaign. Meanwhile, 21-year-old forward Boussoufa will arrive for a fee yet to be revealed, having impressed sufficiently at Gent to be voted Belgium's Players' Player of the Year for 2005/06.

Southampton spell
Having initially joined AFC Ajax on loan from Germinal Beerschot, Van Damme spent two full seasons in the Dutch capital before transferring to Southampton. Following the Premiership team's relegation at the end of 2004/05, he was loaned to German outfit Werder Bremen last term, playing eight Bundesliga games and scoring one goal.

'Club of my heart'
Boussoufa, the less experienced of the two recruits, has caught the eye in his two campaigns with Gent, following a stint on Chelsea FC's books. He struck 14 goals in 57 matches for the fourth-placed Belgian side and, two weeks ago, made his Morocco debut against the United States. "I am leaving the club of my heart, but I can take a step forward with Anderlecht and am excited about playing in the Champions League," he said.