Normally the regular competition of the Belgian Jupiler Pro League will start at the 26th of July with KRC Genk vs KV Kortrijk as opener. But it is not sure if the competition can start until there is more clarity about the potential match fixing scandal of KV Mechelen.

Next Saturday the Belgian Super Cup will be played between KRC Genk and yes KV Mechelen.

So it is time to build up to the season start! Today I will start with the transfers, in the rest of the week the keepers and defence will get a post, followed by the midfield to end the week with the attacking department!

The leavers

Let’s start with the players who decided that they future is with another club! For some it probably was a relief to get a transfer due to a lack of playing minutes, for some it was a natural step in their career and others just forced their transfer!

Trossard (age: 24)

Our captain has an agreement with the club that he would be granted a transfer if the price was right! While there was interest from the Bundesliga and rumored interest of Arsenal, Brighton and Genk made a deal which was acceptable for all parties involved. Trossard will be playing the next years in the Premier League after Brighton paid a tranfer fee of €20 mill.

While he will be missed, we wish him all the luck at Brighton!

Aidoo (age: 23)

One of our central defenders! For him there wasn’t an agreement for a transfer, but the price Celta de Vigo was willing to pay, was hard to refuse. Celta did offer €8 mill, which is far more than Genk did pay 2 years ago to Hammerby (€ 1.25 mill.)!

While he will be missed, I do think that with Dewaest and Lucumi we do have a great central defense!

Ingvartsen (age: 23)

Presented 2 years as our new main striker. While he did get enough chances in the beginning he did have a hard time to justify his price tag of €4.95 mill. He played in total 38 games, at the end mostly as substitute and scored only 8 goals. His transfer to Union Berlin will probably feel as a restart of his career!

Will not be missed to be honest!

Seck (age: 29)

Quickly after Clement became the head coach of Genk, he was bought from the previous club of Clement Waasland-Beveren. While he had a good start at Genk he was passed by some youngsters! So, now that Clement has decided to leave Genk and outgoing transfer of Seck was expected. During the winter he was already loaned out to Zulte Waregem, who now purchased him for an undisclosed transfer fee!

A transfer was due because good potential youngsters were held back!

Karelis (Age: 27)

Another striker who did bite the dust! He never overcome his knee injury. He was playing great before, but after he came back from his injury Samata was the number 1 striker in the picking order! Overall he scored 33 goals for Genk in 75 appereances. It is one of those examples that it is really hard to come back after a knee injury! For the moment he is without a club, but I really hope that he will find a new team to score for!

Malinovskyi

Not a done deal yet! But he will go to Atalanta Bergamo. A key player of the Champions team, who shamefully decided to force his transfer! The tranfer fee will be around €13mill which can be increased to around €15 mill with bonusses! He for sure will be missed, but we can only use players who are dedicated to the team!

Arrivals!

Well some of these players did come back from a loan and probably some of them will leave again on a loan before the transfer market closes again! Others were promoted from the youth team!

And then of course there are the one who were bought!

Ianis Hagi (age: 20)

The most expensive transfer ever for KRC Genk with a transfer fee of € 8 mill. He does come from FC Viitorul and is an attacking midfielder. He did play a great European Championship for player below 21 and was rumored to also have interest of Ajax. The things he did show at the European Championship are promising but he could have some adjustment problems!

But even if he is only half as good as his dad (the famous George Hagi) he will be a great addition to the team!

Bongonda (age: 23)

This was the first transfer of the transfer window and at that moment the record breaking incoming transfer for Genk. An astonishing €7 mill was payed for him. The most expensive tranfer ever between Belgian clubs. He will have to fill in the gap of Trossard! And I do believe that he can! His mentality has matured and with his experience from La Liga he could also make the other younger players better!

Cuesta (age: 20)

Well if Genk can do something it is finding great central defenders! We will have to wait if Cuesta could be another great addition to this list! Bought for only €1 mill from Atl. Nacional from Colombia! He made some decent performances during the friendly games, but will probably be the back up for Dewaest and Lucumi! He will have to mature and be ready to take over when needed!

Nygren (age: 17)

Our biggest gamble. A very promising youngster from Sweden. He is a right winger, so could become a stand in for Ito and Ndongala. He will get time to mature but will enough playing minutes before the winter break!

A very huge price tag for a 17 year old player with €3.7 mill!

Odey (age: 21)

This should become a new striker. The only problem he has at the moment is that Samata is still at the club, so will be probably second place. I don’t see Genk playing with 2 central forwards. But changes are big that Samata will get a transfer before the end of August and then he will get his chances! The transfer fee was € 3.5 mill.

Hrosovsky (age: 27)

Rather old for an incoming transfer for Genk, who normally only buy young players with potential. But also some maturity is needed within the team. He will take the place of Malinowski, who is negotiating a deal with Atalanta! He will only arrive at the middle of August at the club because he will first play some CL qualification games with Pilzen.

The surprises

2 of the player who were granted an outgoing transfer if the price was right are still at the club! We are talking about Sander Bergen and Ali Samata!

Both were key players of the team who did take the title! Bergen already announced that Champions League football wouldn’t keep him at Genk but for the moment no offers have come in for the Defensive Midfielder, valued at € 22 mill. He will probably not leave the club under 25 mill! I do hope that he will stay another year or at least until the winter break!

Also Maehle for the moment decided to stay, but the transfer window is still long. At lot of things can happen!

For the moment there are way to many players in the first squad, so I do expect some more outgoing transfers or loans! Mazzu has to make sure that a well-balanced squad stays behind!

Cheers,

Peter