R.S.C. Anderlecht — overview around the 2020/21 season (coach: Vincent Kompany)

Club summary

• R.S.C. Anderlecht is one of Belgium's most successful clubs, based in Anderlecht, Brussels.
• The 2020/21 period came during a rebuilding phase following a difficult few seasons; the club placed emphasis on integrating academy talent and modernizing the squad and playing style.

Vincent Kompany — role and timeline

• Kompany, a former Belgium and Manchester City captain, returned to Anderlecht as player-manager in 2019.
• By the 2020/21 season he had shifted to a full-time managerial role, focusing on coaching, recruitment and restructuring the squad and club culture.
• His approach emphasized professionalism, a clear playing identity and development of young players from Anderlecht’s academy.

2020/21 season — themes and style

• Rebuilding and youth: Kompany prioritized promoting academy players and blending them with targeted signings and loans.
• Playing style: Kompany favored a possession-oriented, progressive build-up from the back with high intensity pressing; formations often used included variations of three at the back with wing-backs to provide width.
• Squad modernization: the coaching staff and recruitment focused on athletic, technically capable players suited to a high-press, ball-playing system.
• Context: the season was played under COVID-19 constraints (limited or no crowds for many matches), affecting revenues and matchday atmosphere.

Key players around that season

• Yari Verschaeren — top academy prospect, creative attacking midfielder/winger integrated into the first team.
• Albert Sambi Lokonga — promising central midfielder who emerged as a leading young talent (he attracted interest from major clubs).
• Lukas Nmecha — a loan signing (from Manchester City) who provided important goals during the campaign.
• Hendrik Van Crombrugge — goalkeeper signed to strengthen the defensive base.
• Several other young defenders and midfielders were given first-team opportunities as part of Kompany’s long-term project.

Competitions and objective

• Main competitions: Belgian First Division A (Pro League) and the Belgian Cup.
• Primary objective under Kompany in this phase was restoration: stabilise performances, re-establish a coherent identity, develop talent and create a platform for sustained improvement rather than immediate silverware.

Legacy and impact

• Vincent Kompany’s tenure around 2020/21 is widely seen as the start of a cultural and tactical reset at Anderlecht: a renewed focus on youth development, a modern playing philosophy and recruitment aligned with a long-term vision.
• That period laid groundwork for subsequent seasons by giving academy players consistent exposure and reshaping the squad profile to fit Kompany’s ideas.

Note: this is a concise summary of Anderlecht under Vincent Kompany around the 2020/21 season emphasizing coaching approach, squad trends and club direction during that period.