Anderlecht had been in talks with 24-year-old Croatian defender Hrvoje Smolcic from Eintracht Frankfurt regarding a transfer, but the agreement collapsed at the last minute. Smolcic, who is contracted with the German club until June 2027, has a market value of approximately €2 million according to Transfermarkt. After the deal fell through, Smolcic became associated with other clubs such as Raków Częstochowa and Widzew Lodz. Consequently, Anderlecht shifted their focus to Yasin Özcan, a 19-year-old defender from Turkey, whom they have now acquired on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, with an option to purchase. Özcan's signing is intended to address the defensive gap and appease the fans following the club's Europa League defeat to BK Häcken. Sporting director Olivier Renard conveyed his belief in Özcan's suitability for the team, notwithstanding the failure of the Smolcic deal.