Stav Lemkin Nears Full Fitness, Sparking Defensive Dilemma for FC Twente

Israeli defender Stav Lemkin is gradually returning to full fitness, prompting discussions in the Netherlands about his potential impact on FC Twente's lineup. Lemkin rejoined team training last week and has over two weeks to regain match readiness before the team's next league game against Fortuna Sittard on October 10th.

Despite Lemkin's absence, Twente's defense has performed well, conceding only seven goals in the first seven league matches, a record bettered only by AZ Alkmaar. Robin Propper and Max Bruns have been the primary central defenders, while Youri Rensch has impressed at left-back, a position he shared with Lemkin last season.

However, some Dutch football commentators believe Lemkin's return could lead manager Joseph Oosting to reshuffle the backline. Analyst Anco Jansen suggested a potential return to the "ideal pairing" of Lemkin and Rensch in central defense, which would necessitate Rensch moving from his current effective left-back role.

Not all experts agree on this potential shift. Thijmen van Wissing argued for keeping Rensch at left-back, while Jansen proposed that Propper might be the player to make way for Lemkin if the team aims for improvement. Regardless of the specific configuration, Lemkin's return is expected to present Twente with a welcome selection challenge for the remainder of the season.