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

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

Despite Lemkin's absence, Twente's defense has performed impressively, conceding only seven goals in the first seven league matches, a record bettered only by AZ Alkmaar. During this period, Robin Propper and Max Bröns have anchored the central defense, while Youri Rensch, who partnered Lemkin last season, has excelled at left-back.

However, some Dutch football analysts 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 at center-back, which would necessitate Rensch moving from his current effective left-back position.

Not all commentators agree on this strategy. Thijmen van Wissing argued for keeping Rensch at left-back. Jansen, however, proposed that Propper might be the player to make way for Lemkin, stating, "If you really want to improve, Propper is the one who should leave." Regardless of the specific adjustments, Lemkin's recovery is expected to present Twente with a welcome selection challenge for the remainder of the season.