Branco Van den Boomen set for Toulouse reunion as Angers loan gathers pace | OneFootball

Branco Van den Boomen heads into a reunion with former club Toulouse on Sunday at 17:15 after catching the eye against Metz. According to L'Équipe, the Ajax loanee has settled quickly at Angers and this will be his third appearance.

The midfielder was eased in with 29 minutes at Paris FC four days after arriving, a 0-0 draw on 25 January. He then logged 69 minutes in the 1-0 win over Metz, providing the penultimate pass.

He joined Toulouse in 2020 from De Graafschap and delivered three outstanding years, totalling 121 games, 23 goals and 45 assists. He departed after winning the Coupe de France, a 5-1 final against Nantes.

Inside the club he was seen as the side’s organiser who lifted team-mates and resonated with fans. Rasmus Nicolaisen called him a demanding winner central to promotion and that cup run.

His Ajax return was hindered by knee then back injuries, and his minutes fell sharply over the last two and a half years. In the first half of this season he featured only 45 minutes, in the Dutch Cup.

Angers coach Alexandre Dujeux is managing his workload while he builds fitness, saying some of his passes can even surprise team-mates. He reckons those disguised balls could trouble opponents, and says the 30-year-old can set the tempo of a game.

His Metz display already hinted he should be a capable successor to Himad Abdelli, who has joined OM, albeit in a different register.

Source: L'Équipe