Anderlecht midfielder Dennis Praet wins Golden Boot

“It is an unbelievable honour to receive this award,” said Praet (pictured), as he also paid tribute to Junior Malanda, the Belgian youth international from VfL Wolfsburg, who died in a car accident last weekend.

Praet, from Leuven, was just eight years old when he joined the Genk youth team, before Anderlecht plucked him away in 2010. His senior career began just a year later, and he has scored 21 times in 125 appearances for Anderlecht. He received his first international call up in November.

English champions Manchester City have already inquired about signing him, although Praet has questioned whether such a move would give him many chances to play. “I might be better off joining a medium-sized team in a great league,” he said recently. Italian giants Juventus, Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, Spain’s Valencia and English side Arsenal have also been linked with him.

The Golden Boot awards named Praet’s Anderlecht clubmate Youri Tielemans Talent of the Year, while their coach Besnik Hasi was elected Coach of the Year. Club Brugge’s Mathew Ryan took the prize of Goalkeeper of the Year, and Chelsea and Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois retained his title of Best Belgian Player Abroad.