Harbaoui Hints at Imminent Departure After Super Cup Defeat to Anderlecht
Tunisia’s Hamdi Harbaoui may have played his final match in Belgian football as speculation around his future intensifies. The prolific striker, who was Lokeren’s only goalscorer in their 2-1 Belgian Super Cup defeat to Anderlecht on Sunday, has admitted that a transfer could be on the horizon.
In a tightly contested match that officially ushered in the new season, Belgian champions Anderlecht narrowly overcame Lokeren, winners of last season’s Belgian Cup. Harbaoui, who was the top African scorer in Europe last season, delivered yet another strong individual performance despite the loss.
Reflecting on the match, Harbaoui praised his team’s efforts in the second half. “We were better in the second half. We tried to build, to move forward. We ended up equalizing, but there was that goal that came in the last minute,” he said post-match. “We were perhaps disorganized. We didn’t expect Nill De Pauw to come off so quickly. He came on fresh and did us a lot of good.”
Despite the disappointment, the Tunisian forward struck a measured tone, highlighting the importance of gradual improvement as the season progresses. “It’s the first match of the season and we’ll get back into the swing of things little by little. It’s the last match of the preparation. It would have been good if we had won, but we didn’t lose much.”
Yet the real intrigue lies in Harbaoui’s future. With clubs across Europe said to be circling, the 29-year-old admitted that a transfer remains a real possibility. “A move to another club? Anything is possible,” he said, offering no definitive commitment to staying at Lokeren.
Harbaoui has been consistently linked with a move away from Belgium following a season that showcased his prolific goal-scoring ability. His performance in the Super Cup, which again underlined his attacking instincts and leadership on the pitch, may have only added to his list of suitors.
With the summer transfer window still open, all eyes will now turn to where the Tunisian marksman could be headed next. What is clear, however, is that Harbaoui remains focused on his game, regardless of the uncertainty surrounding his future.
