Head of Football Dimitri de Condé saw the downpour two weeks ago during the winter training camp in Benidorm. A Premier League club that makes a fool of a player but ostentatiously delays coming up with a decent offer: that is guaranteed to result in rags. He had already experienced that a year ago…
Paul Onuachu then continued to train, until he succumbed to the advances of Southampton on Deadline Day. The English club eventually also came to terms financially, making a departure of the Golden Bull inevitable. A big loss for KRC Genk, because the Nigerian had scored no fewer than 17 goals in 22 games at that time of the season.
(No) understanding
Like everyone in Genk when Onuachu granted his dream transfer, Munoz can also count on internal understanding. In the sense that the Colombian international gave his all every day for blue and white for three and a half years and deserves a transition to the Premier League at the age of 27.
Only his refusal to train, especially in the run-up to the derby at Stayen, is not well received by everyone. The player himself wants to put pressure on the file, while the gap between the asking price of 10 million euros and the offer – Crystal Palace reportedly moved very hesitantly towards around 6 million – is still large.
Munoz’s head has long been interested in a transfer to the London club, which is currently fifteenth in the Premier League. Before last Saturday’s match against Cercle Brugge, he had to be convinced to play.
At KRC Genk they do not want to be put under pressure. The winter mercato is also open in England until February 1, so Palace still has a week to come up with more cash. In the meantime, Munoz, who has scored 7 goals and 2 assists in 29 matches this season, remains a KRC Genk player and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be back on the training field from Thursday. And whether he will be available for the derby on Sunday.
El Ouahdi lining
Coach Wouter Vrancken has one real duplicate available for Munoz in his core. So he was happy that Zakaria El Ouahdi, like captain Bryan Heynen, could (partially) resume group training after a minor injury. Both missed the match against Cercle but seem to be fit just in time for Sunday’s match at STVV. Aziz Ouattara, who was out for a long time with an adductor injury, also rejoined the group in part one of the training.
After all, Eduard Sobol did not train yet on Wednesday morning. The Ukrainian left back is rented from French side Strasbourg until the end of the season, but because the deal had not yet been signed, he could not yet train without valid insurance. The transfer was official on Wednesday evening, meaning Sobol will be on the training field for the first time on Thursday.
Doublure El Ouahdi trained (partially) with the group again. — © Dick Demey