Interview | Charles Vanhoutte believes OGC Nice move bolsters World Cup chances with Belgium | OneFootball

On the face of it, leaving Union Saint-Gilloise, who this season are competing in the UEFA Champions League, to join OGC Nice in what is a crucial FIFA World Cup year, is a risk. That is the decision taken by Charles Vanhoutte (27), however, the midfielder does not see the move as a risk, as he revealed in a roundtable interview attended by Get French Football News.

“By coming here, I think I have increased my chances [of being at the World Cup], but everything depends on my performances,” began the midfielder, who has just one cap to his name, which came during the most recent September international break.

He continued, “Already, it is a higher-level league, and there are more people who will see me. But the World Cup isn’t in my head yet. I just want to play well, and what happens with the national team is just a bonus.”

He then revealed that he has had a conversation with Frenchman and Belgium manager Rudi Garcia about the move to Nice. “We didn’t speak before [the move], but when I joined, we spoke a bit, not just with the manager, but also with his assistants. They have worked a lot with teams in France. He told me it is a very good league with lots of good teams and that, physically and technically, it is a step up. They were happy with my choice,” revealed Vanhoutte.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle