When Thelo Aasgaard secured a deadline-day loan move from Rangers to Belgian giants Anderlecht, the Norwegian playmaker was determined to start a fresh chapter.

However, as Anderlecht prepare for their UEFA Europa League clash against Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday (15 October), press reports in Belgium have revealed that the 24-year-old is grappling with the exact same puzzle that hampered his progress at Ibrox.

According to Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg, Anderlecht head coach Vitor Bruno is still searching for his ideal midfield setup, with Aasgaard struggling to cement a starting role despite showing glimpses of brilliant technique in training.

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Anderlecht struggling to find best role for Aasgaard

The publication notes that Aasgaard continues to display high-level technical quality on the practice pitch, boasting a ‘pinpoint shot’ and a style reminiscent of Ajax icon Kasper Dolberg. However, his lack of off-the-ball intensity remains a major sticking point.

HBVL wrote: “The loanee demonstrates his ability in training, as Aasgaard possesses a pinpoint shot and impressive technique. He is reminiscent of Kasper Dolberg. However, despite his athletic frame, he does not always bring the required intensity and pressing.“

The report adds that Anderlecht are facing the exact positional headache Rangers encountered before Derek McInnes sanctioned his loan exit: “In which position does Aasgaard operate best then? He appears to be more of a second striker than a playmaker… What role in the team can Aasgaard lay claim to? At Rangers, too, they struggled with that exact question.“

Aasgaard reveals reason behind Rangers exit

Meanwhile, Aasgaard joined Bruno for Anderlecht’s pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Dinamo Zagreb – a strong indication that he is in line for a starting berth. Addressing the press, the Liverpool-born attacker reflected on his decision to swap Glasgow for Brussels.

He said [via L’Avenir]: “The time had come to take a new turn in my career. I wanted to show off my technical ability in another country. I learned the physical side of the game in England, particularly because I wasn’t the tallest in youth football and had to battle against bigger lads.“

While Aasgaard remains confident that “goals will come”, his game time tells a challenging story. As pointed out by L’Avenir, Aasgaard has managed just 117 minutes across four appearances for Anderlecht, including one start – representing a meagre 32% of total available playing time.

His national team stint with Norway during the recently concluded international break saw similar frustration, where he logged only 72 minutes across four matches – 20% of playing time.

When journalists pressed Bruno on why the Rangers loanee has not found the net yet despite his shooting credentials, the Anderlecht boss delivered a blunt assessment: “How do you expect him to score? He isn’t playing.“

Anderlecht hold a €6.5million (£5.5million) option to buy Aasgaard at the conclusion of his loan agreement. However, unless the playmaker can overcome these familiar pressing and positional hurdles to earn regular minutes under Bruno, a permanent departure from Ibrox next summer is far from guaranteed.