Union Saint-Gilloise Sign Herve Koffi on Loan from Lens
Union Saint-Gilloise have moved quickly to plug the gap left by Kjell Scherpen’s departure to Ipswich Town and the Premier League, turning to a familiar name for Belgian football: Herve Koffi.
The Brussels club are set to bring in the Burkina Faso international on loan from Lens, a deal that would reunite the Pro League with one of its most consistent recent performers between the posts.
From Angers standout to Lens reserve
Koffi arrives with his reputation intact despite a frustrating spell in France’s north. The 27-year-old spent last season on loan at Angers and emerged as one of the standout goalkeepers in Ligue 1, his reflexes and command of the box driving a campaign that put him firmly on the radar outside Belgium.
That form did not translate into minutes at Lens. Since joining the club in 2024, Koffi has barely featured, stuck behind established options and watching from the sidelines as his momentum stalled. For a keeper in his prime, it was a holding pattern he could not afford to accept.
Union offer him exactly what he needs: games, responsibility, and a stage he knows well.
A career built across continents
Koffi’s journey started at ASEC Mimosas in Côte d’Ivoire, a renowned finishing school for West African talent. From there he crossed to Europe in 2017, signing for Lille and making six first-team appearances – just enough to hint at his potential, not enough to anchor his career.
The real breakthrough came in Belgium.
In 2020/2021 he joined Royal Excel Mouscron, then linked to Lille through ownership. Across 34 league appearances he impressed with a mix of agility and authority, convincing Charleroi to move for him in the summer of 2021.
Charleroi got full value. Koffi played 96 times for the Zebras and established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Belgian Pro League, a reliable last line who rarely dipped below a solid seven out of ten. That body of work earned him his move to France, and now it brings him back to a league that knows exactly what it’s getting.
Union’s new No.1 in waiting
For Union, this is a pragmatic and ambitious response to losing Scherpen. They are not gambling on potential. They are recruiting a proven shot-stopper who understands the rhythm, intensity and quirks of Belgian football.
Koffi brings sharp reflexes, experience, and a calm presence that should ease the transition after Scherpen’s exit to Ipswich Town. He also arrives with a clear personal target: to secure regular first-team football ahead of another Africa Cup of Nations with Burkina Faso next summer, should qualification be sealed.
Union get a goalkeeper ready to perform now. Koffi gets the platform and the minutes he has been missing.
Both know this season could redefine the next chapter of his career.
