© KRC Genk Dominique Vaes
It has happened. Ilyes Bennane (13), the super talent and the youngest Belgian international ever, signs with Anderlecht. A month ago it became clear that the dribbler would leave RC Genk. Club Brugge kept their hands off it.
It has been the case for some time that Belgium and Morocco have been under the spell of Ilyes Bennane. The young offensive midfielder from Verviers in Wallonia is a phenomenon. He used to play football for the youth of Eupen and Standard, but since he was 9 years old, Bennane played for RC Genk. Due to his enormous skills and dribbling skills, he played for the Limburgers as a 13-year-old for the U15s. Two age categories higher. In February, Bennane even became the youngest Belgian international ever. The youngster was already playing for the Belgian U15, but Morocco was also keen on his sleeve. That’s where his roots lie.
However, the collaboration with RC Genk failed. A month ago it was announced that Bennane would leave the Genk youth. There was immediately a lot of interest. The French club Lille, among others, jumped on the file and Ajax and Leverkusen were also mentioned, but preference was given to a Belgian club. Anderlecht and Club Brugge did the forcing, and it is the Purple & White that are now bringing in the youngster.
There are different versions about the break with Genk. According to Bennane’s entourage, there was a discussion about the age category in which Bennane would end up. His father reportedly no longer wanted him to play football two age categories higher because the physical difference between a 13-year-old and the teenagers/mini-adults at the U15 level became too great. However, that is something Genk normally does not do. Foreign. At Anderlecht, Ilyes Bennane will join the U15s next season, just one category above his true age.
No crazy demands
Another version is that the Bennane family’s demands were somewhat excessive and sometimes exceeded certain limits. For example, our reporter saw a match of the Genk U15 in which Bennane was substituted after an hour, after which he immediately went into the dressing room and his parents took him home before the match had even ended.
According to some sources, Club Brugge’s interest subsequently also reflected on the wishes of the Bennanes, but at Anderlecht they indicate that crazy demands are not an option. Ilyes Bennane does not receive preferential treatment: not financially and not in terms of his status within the club. It is also no longer part of Anderlecht’s policy to exceed certain limits. As long as/if there are unrealistic wishes, there will be no deal. Those times are over.
Since Ilyes Bennane left RC Genk a month ago, he maintained his fitness in April with individual guidance in his hometown of Verviers. Now that there is clarity about his future, he will soon be able to train with the Anderlecht youth. From next season, the “greatest talent in Belgium” will also be allowed to play matches with RSCA.
READ ALSO. An incident in his last match was the last straw: why “Belgium’s greatest talent” Ilyes Bennane (13) is suddenly without a club