LISBON, Aug 31 — Club Brugge smashed the Belgian league transfer record as they signed Ukraine striker Roman Yaremchuk from Benfica for a reported €16 million (RM71.7 million) on Tuesday.

That fee broke the Belgian record for an incoming player of €11.74 million which Standard Liege paid when they bought defender Zinho Vanheusden in 2019.

It also breaks Brugge's two-day old club record of €10 million euros to sign Nigerian defensive midfielder Raphael Onyedika from Danish club Midtjylland.

At the start of August, Brugge also set the Belgian record for biggest transfer fee received when they sold striker Charles De Ketelaere to AC Milan for a reported €35 million.

Yaremchuk, who has 39 international caps, enjoyed four productive seasons in Belgium with Gent before moving to Lisbon where he only started 13 times in the league last season.

This season he has appeared five times as a substitute, most recently in the first leg as Benfica eliminated Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League playoff round.

Brugge kick off their Champions League campaign at home to Bayer Leverkusen on September 7. Group B also includes Atletico Madrid and Porto. — AFP