 In summer 2005, he left Mönchengladbach for an undisclosed fee to join VfL Bochum on a three-year contract.He made 39 appearances for Bochum in two seasons, with all his six league goals coming in their 2005–06 promotion-winning campaign.In June 2007, van Hout returned to his home country Belgium agreeing to a four-year contract with Westerlo.