Herve Koffi Joins Union St Gilloise on Loan from Lens

Union St Gilloise have moved quickly to plug the gap left by Kjell Scherpen’s departure, turning to a familiar face for Belgian football: Herve Koffi.

The Brussels club are set to bring in the Burkina Faso international on loan from Lens, a deal reported by LDH that would hand Union a goalkeeper with both pedigree and Pro League experience at a crucial moment in their project.

From nearly unused at Lens to centre stage in Brussels

Koffi arrives at this juncture with his career at a crossroads. Since joining Lens in 2024, he has barely featured, stuck behind established options and watching his momentum stall just as he enters what should be his peak years.

That lack of minutes jars with what he produced last season. On loan at Angers, Koffi was one of the standout goalkeepers in Ligue 1, his shot-stopping and command of the box a major factor in their campaign. In France, he reminded everyone why he had once been regarded as one of the most promising keepers to emerge from West Africa.

Now, with another Africa Cup of Nations on the horizon next summer – assuming Burkina Faso secure qualification – he needs regular, high-level football. Union can offer exactly that: a club competing at the top end of the Belgian Pro League, with European ambitions and a clear track record of revitalising careers.

A journey built on steady climbs

Koffi’s story started at ASEC Mimosas in Côte d'Ivoire, a factory of talent that has fed European clubs for decades. From there, his leap to Europe came in 2017 with Lille, where he made six first-team appearances. Not many, but enough to hint at his potential.

His real breakthrough on this side of the world came during the 2020/2021 season with Royal Excel Mouscron. Then linked to Lille through ownership, Mouscron gave him a full campaign to show what he could do. Across 34 appearances, he impressed with his reflexes and presence, even as the club itself slid towards oblivion and eventual dissolution.

Charleroi pounced in the summer of 2021. Over three seasons with the Zebras, Koffi became one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Belgian Pro League, racking up 96 games and earning a reputation as a consistent, high-level performer. His performances there opened the door to France and the move to Lens.

The irony is clear: he had to leave Belgium to prove he could thrive in a bigger league, and now he returns as a more rounded, battle-tested goalkeeper.

Union get what they need

Scherpen’s move to Ipswich Town and the Premier League left Union with a significant hole. They needed more than just a stopgap. They needed a goalkeeper who could step straight into a title-chasing environment, who understood the league, and who could handle the pressure of a club that has outgrown its underdog tag.

In Koffi, they are getting exactly that profile.

He knows the stadiums, the strikers, the tempo of the Belgian Pro League. He has already proved he can be one of the best in this competition. For a Union side that relies on solidity at the back to fuel their aggressive, front-foot football, a calm, experienced shot-stopper is non-negotiable.

Lens, for their part, keep their asset active and in the shop window. Koffi gets the starting role he craves ahead of a potentially defining year for his international career. Union secure a capable, reliable replacement for Scherpen without the risks that come with an untested signing.

Everyone wins on paper.

The real question now is simple: can Koffi turn this loan into the platform that finally anchors him as a long-term No. 1 at the highest level?