Club Brugge declines option, Pieter Gerkens returns to Gent

Club Brugge announced it will not trigger the purchase clause for 31‑year‑old midfielder Pieter Gerkens, meaning the player returns to Gent after a season‑long loan in which he featured in 37 matches, scoring six goals and providing one assist across all competitions.

Pieter Gerkens arrived at Sporting Anderlecht in July 2017, coming from Sint‑Trond. Three years later he transferred to Royal Antwerp.

Royal Antwerp secured Gerkens for a reported €700,000. At the Bosuil he amassed 105 appearances, scoring ten goals and delivering ten assists across three seasons.

He then joined La Gantoise on a free transfer, signing a contract that runs until 2027. During two seasons at the Planet Group Arena he featured regularly before disappearing from the club’s plans at the close of the 2024‑2025 campaign.

The summer of 2024 saw Gerkens loaned to Club Brugge, where he played 37 matches in all competitions. He contributed six goals, one assist and accumulated roughly 3,000 minutes on the pitch.

Club Brugge finished fourteenth in the regular season and were forced into the play‑downs to secure their league status. The campaign proved more challenging than anticipated, prompting the club to anticipate squad changes this summer.

The purchase option embedded in Gerkens’ loan contract was deemed too expensive for Club Brugge, Gerkens must either return to La Gantoise or seek a new club. The decision comes with his contract set to expire in 2027.