Facts On Faes – New Fox Wout In Numbers
The 24-year-old, an Antwerp native who grew up in the town of Mol, arrives at King Power Stadium from Ligue 1 outfit Reims, after establishing himself as an imposing figure in the heart of the French side’s backline.
After confirmation of his arrival on Filbert Way, we take a look at how the 6ft 2ins Belgium international has progressed by journeying through his career to date…
Born on 3 April, 1998, Faes emerged through the youth academy at Belgium giants Anderlecht from the age of 14, following in the footsteps of some of the country’s greatest defenders, having previously played for hometown team Rauw Sport Mol and Lierse.
Reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League in two consecutive seasons between 2014 and 2016, Faes’ leadership skills came to the fore as he captained Anderlecht’s academy in the latter tournament.
Once his senior career began, after signing a professional contract at Les Mauves et Blancs, the centre-back embarked on a successful loan at Dutch side Heerenveen in 2017, narrowly missing out on European qualification.
This was followed by another temporary spell in Holland, with Excelsior, which ended with 19 appearances in the Eredivisie – the top tier of Netherlands football.
His international career, meanwhile, took off at the 2015 FIFA Under-17s World Cup in Chile, helping Belgium to a third-place finish. Four years on, he starred for Belgium at the UEFA Under-21s European Championships, featuring against Poland and Spain in Italy.
Back to club football, 2018 saw the defender sign a three-year contract with first-tier club Oostende, quickly becoming a regular starter and later netting his first goal against Zulte Waregem, as De Kustboys reached the Belgian Cup last four in 2018/19.
Some 64 appearances and two years later, Faes, now captain, made the switch to Reims, with 35 appearances and two goals across 2020/21 and featured in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers.
Faes further enhanced his reputation as a leading Ligue 1 player, culminating in receiving the club’s player of the season award at the end of a 2021/22 campaign which included playing 39 times in all competitions.
His performances were once again recognised by his country and earlier this year, Faes made his senior international debut for Roberto Martínez’s side, coming on as a substitute during a 6-1 victory over Poland, in the squad alongside new Foxes team-mates Timothy Castagne and Youri Tielemans.
Now entering the latest phase of his developing career, following his switch to England, Faes is ready to be a hit in the Premier League for Leicester City.