Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Gent.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jupiler Pro League | 36 | 2 | 1 | 3075 | 6.76 |
Scout report
S. Van der Heyden is a 28-year-old full-back at Gent, enjoying a standout season — 2 goals and 1 assists in 36 appearances, a Season grade of 43, top 6% of Jupiler Pro League full-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 41.7, ranking 233rd of 311 in the Jupiler Pro League. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present (83.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.48 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Heyden.
Judged on this season alone, Heyden graded 43 — an excellent campaign that ranks top 6% of the 52 full-backs in the Jupiler Pro League, on 9 clean sheets and 4.478 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 16 → 43). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2021/22.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 42, 42nd of 52 of the 52 full-backs in the Jupiler Pro League. At 28 Heyden is in his prime years, and a market index of 13.2 reflects that trajectory.
Below his 2021/22 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
Output in context · Gent finished 5th of 6 · a relegation-threatened side
4.48 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 9 clean sheets across 36 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (5th of 6) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.
Strengths
- Availability. On the pitch for 83.3% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
- Defensive volume. 4.48 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.
Watch points
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
With a Rating of 41.7, Heyden carries the 42nd-highest potential of the full-backs in the Jupiler Pro League of 52, and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Gent finished 5th of 6) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.48 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
