Royal Antwerp FC secured two new midfielders on the final day of the Belgian transfer window. The club signed 20-year-old Bahmed Deuff from FC Nantes and 21-year-old Álvaro Cortés from FC Barcelona.

The club currently sits tenth in the Jupiler Pro League with seven points from five matches. They have scored ten goals and conceded the same amount. The next challenge is an away match against league leaders Club Brugge on September 13th.

Bahmed Deuff arrives from FC Nantes, where he broke into the first team last season. The Mauritanian midfielder stands 1.94 meters tall and made eleven Ligue 1 appearances. He is viewed as a physically strong and versatile player capable of winning back possession.

Antwerp had been searching for an additional midfielder for some time. Deuff's arrival follows shortly after the return of Arthur Vermeeren. The club initially hoped to sign Nemanja Gudelj, but that transfer fell through. Deuff is expected to add more options and power to manager Marvin Compper's midfield.

Álvaro Cortés leaves FC Barcelona for Antwerp, signing a four-year contract. The 21-year-old Spaniard played for Barça Atlètic, Barcelona's reserve team, in recent seasons. He made his first-team debut in May of this year in a match against Deportivo Alavés.

Cortés joined Barcelona's youth academy in 2021. He first played for the U19s and spent a season on loan at CF Damm. His signing provides a new option for Antwerp's wide areas. Fans can view the full squad on our squad page.

Antwerp has had a mixed start to the season and currently occupies tenth place. Their record shows two wins, one draw, and two losses. Their recent form reads LLDWW, representing loss, loss, draw, win, win.

The club trails league leaders KAA Gent by eight points. The next match is a important away fixture against third-placed Club Brugge. The full league schedule can be found in our fixtures section. The current league table is always updated in the standings.

Last Saturday, Antwerp faced Standard Liege in a 4-2-3-1 formation under Marvin Compper. Standard Liege, coached by Vincent Euvrard, set up in a 4-3-3 formation.

The match took place at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne. It was the fifth matchday of the Jupiler Pro League. Antwerp hopes the new signings will bring more consistency to their league campaign. The club has significant ground to make up to reach the top.

The arrivals of Deuff and Cortés give Compper more midfield options. Both players have signed multi-year contracts with The Great Old.