20 - Laurent Depoitre (Forward)

Biography

DATE OF BIRTH

07/12/1988

HEIGHT

191cm

SIGNED

25/06/2017

COUNTRY

 Belgium

Huddersfield Town completed the signing of Belgian international striker Laurent Depoitre from Portuguese giants FC Porto on Friday 23 June 2017.

Born in Tournai, Belgium, Depoitre began his professional at his hometown club, RFC Tournai, before moving to RRC Péruwelz in 2007.

He moved up the Belgian leagues to sign for Eendracht Aalst in 2009; the Club that Town signed goalkeeper Nico Vaesen from in 1998. Laurent was named the Club’s Player of the Season in his debut year and went on to help the team win the Belgian Third Division on 2011, going on to score 19 goals in 49 games across the third and second tiers.

Depoitre was linked with several clubs in the summer of 2012 and opted to join Oostende of the Second Division. His 14 goals in 34 league games helped the side gain immediate promotion to the Belgian top flight and he netted 10 in 37 in his maiden Pro League campaign.

Laurent decided not to extend his contract past the summer of 2014 and instead joined KAA Gent for the 2014/15 season. That campaign was his breakthrough year; he won the Club’s Player of the Year award as Gent won the Belgian Pro League and Super Cup.

That led to the striker’s sole appearance for Belgium to date, when he scored on debut in a 4-1 Euro 2016 qualifying win in Andorra.

He also played and scored in the Champions League for Gent, notching an impressive 31 goals and 14 assists in 90 Gent appearances in total.

Depoitre then made the big move to Portugal to join FC Porto in the summer of 2016, scoring one goal in two starts and five substitute appearances.