The Five Belgians Who Could Soon Join The Premier League?

In case you haven't noticed, the Premier League is currently awash with Belgian footballers. Supremely talented Belgian footballers.

A quick look across the top six of the Premier League shows that, with the exception of Manchester United, each team down to sixth place has their own revered Belgian playing a key role within their respective squad. And though United may not be in on the act yet, Sir Alex Ferguson's comments regarding the club's young prodigy Adnan Januzaj suggest they have identified something worth getting excited over in the 18-year-old. Guess where he hails from?

Currently, 11 members of the Belgium national team ply their trade in the Premier League, not including Chelsea duo Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne, both currently enjoying season-long loan spells with Atletico Madrid and Werder Bremen respectively. With so many Belgians enjoying a seamless transition to the Premier League, who will managers be tempted to look at next?

Jelle Vossen - K.R.C Genk

Given the success Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku, and Kevin Mirallas have enjoyed following their arrivals in English football, you could forgive Premier League managers for casting an eye across Belgium's other international forwards . Jelle Vossen is one such name that may be considered as the summer transfer window looms. The 24-year-old has struck an impressive 17 goals in 30 league games for Genk in Belgium's Jupiter Pro League this season, a feat that could help force the hand of Premier League managers looking to broaden their striking options.

Toby Alderweireld - Ajax

The Ajax defender is looking increasingly likely to follow the path of compatriots Thomas Vermaelen and Jan Vertonghen in leaving Ajax and moving into the heart of a defence of a Premier League club. If reports are to be believed, Alderweireld could be potentially partnering either of those two at Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur, having also been linked with moves to Newcastle United and Anzhi Makhachkala. And with good reason; the 24-year-old has started all but one of Ajax's 32 Eredivisie games this campaign, and is on the verge of securing a third successive league title with the Amsterdam club. With 23 international caps to his name, he is already an established presence in Marc Wilmots' Belgium side and could see this summer as an ideal time to make a switch.

Dries Mertens - PSV Eindhoven

Also plying his trade in the Eredivisie, PSV Eindhoven winger Mertens has proven himself as an effective goal scoring winger as you will find across the continent. The stylish wide man has situated himself right at the top of PSV's goal scoring charts since arriving from FC Utrecht in the summer of 2011, having struck 25 times in 38 appearances in all competitions in the 2011/2012 campaign and repeating such feats this time around. In 21 games this season, the left sided winger has struck 15 goals, once again establishing himself as the club's lead goal scorer. The 25-year-old has previously been linked with a move to Liverpool, and following disappointing seasons from Stewart Downing and forgotten summer signing Ossama Assaidi, Brendan Rodgers may be tempted to look further ashore.

Steven Defour - Porto

Now a formidable presence in the Porto midfield, Defour was linked with a move to a Premier League club approximately once every three days before the Portuguese giants paid Standard Liege a modest €6 million for his services in 2011. A move to Manchester United was heavily touted before that move, during a time which Sir Alex Ferguson sent the tough tackling midfielder a lovely get well letter while he was side lined with an ankle injury. While speculation surrounding his future has died down, Defour's adept performances in the comparatively tougher Portuguese Primeira Liga could be enough convince the Premier League suitors to come out of hiding once again.

Nacer Chadli - FC Twente

The FC Twente wide man is another who has found himself linked with a move to the Premier League in the past, when his former manager Martin Jol attempted to bring the 23-year-old to Fulham upon his arrival at Craven Cottage in 2011. The Belgian international of Moroccan decent would have been out of contract this summer, but penned a one-year extension at De Grolsch Veste earlier in the season which ensures his presence at Twente until 2014, suggesting he has his eye on a move in the near future. Following the departure of Bryan Ruiz to Fulham, Chadi has contributed his fair share of goals, scoring nine in 20 league appearances this season, a total that would have surely rose had it not been for two injury spells.