Genk’s amazing production line: Football Whispers reveals all as Leon Bailey follows Kevin de Bruyne, Christian Benteke and Thibaut Courtois out
GENK haven’t won the Belgian title since 2011, but they have sold plenty of talent in this time, earning a glowing reputation for their scouting and development policy.
Indeed, had they retained the following eight players, it is not far-fetched to suggest they could challenge not only on the domestic front, but in the Champions League as well.
looks at the Genk football factory's production line of stars.
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LEON BAILEY
A tricky, inventive and agile winger with pace to burn, Leon Bailey became the latest player to leave Genk for big money when he joined Bayer Leverkusen for £11.5 million on deadline day.
The 19-year-old had reportedly been coveted by numerous Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea, but the move to Germany makes sense for him at this stage in his career.
With Leverkusen, the Jamaican can expect frequent game time and should also fit in well within the high tempo style of the Bundesliga, where his athleticism and skill can be put to good use in counter-attacking situations.
CHRISTIAN BENTEKE
Christian Benteke bounced between Genk and Standard Liege between 2004 and 2012, representing each club twice, though it was with the former that he enjoyed his breakout season.
After scoring 16 goals in 32 league appearances in 2011-12, Aston Villa paid £8 million to sign him.
Benteke didn’t take long to adjust to the Premier League, finding the net 19 times in his debut season and hitting double figures in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
This impressive form saw him become the main contender for the Belgian national team’s centre-forward role alongside Romelu Lukaku and earned him a £32.5 million move to Liverpool.
Since leaving Aston Villa the forceful finisher’s career has taken a dip and he now finds himself struggling for form at Crystal Palace. Nonetheless, he remains a serious aerial threat to any opponent.
THIBAUT COURTOIS
Having made his debut for Genk at the age of 16, Thibaut Courtois helped the club to the Belgian title in 2011 before departing for Chelsea later that same year in a £7.5 million deal. However, despite showing remarkable maturity for his age, he was quickly loaned out to Atletico Madrid.
Courtois couldn’t have hoped for a more valuable experience.
Over three outstanding seasons, the gangly goalkeeper was installed as the Spanish side’s number one, played under renowned tactician and motivator Diego Simeone, and won La Liga, the Europa League, the Copa del Rey and the European Super Cup.
He returned to Chelsea to succeed Petr Cech in 2014, winning the Premier League in his first full campaign in English football.
And, after a slight blip in 2015-16, he has retained his position and is one of the team’s key players under Antonio Conte.
Now 24 years of age, Courtois is rated as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world alongside the likes of Manuel Neuer, David de Gea and Hugo Lloris.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE
Like Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne left Genk for Chelsea. However, having agreed to a £7 million transfer in January 2012, he was then immediately loaned back to the Belgian club for the rest of the season.
The attacking midfielder would eventually establish himself in the Premier League, though not at Stamford Bridge.
After a successful loan spell with Werder Bremen during the 2012-13 campaign, De Bruyne returned to London with hopes of making an impact upon Jose Mourinho’s return.
But after making just three Premier League appearances under the Portuguese he would depart for Wolfsburg in January 2013.
Of his decision to leave, the player later stated: “I waited four months, then I said to myself that I wanted to play football every week. I couldn’t get the game time I wanted, so leaving was the obvious choice.”
De Bruyne was named Footballer of the Year in Germany for his performances in 2014-15, attracted attention from some of Europe’s top sides and eventually joined Manchester City for a fee of £55 million.
Since returning to English football the creator has been extremely productive, scoring 10 and setting up 18 goals in 46 Premier League outings.
CHRISTIAN KABASELE
Few outside of Belgium had heard of Christian Kabasele when the 25-year-old was called up to Marc Wilmots’ national squad for last summer’s European Championships.
While the defender didn’t appear at the finals, he was snapped up by Watford shortly after, leaving Genk for a £6 million fee.
The centre-back has yet to fully assert himself in the Premier League, even though he has scored three goals in 14 appearances and put in a number of assured displays recently to suggest he may soon have a regular place within Walter Mazzarri’s starting lineup.
KALIDOU KOULIBALY
After spending his formative years in the French second tier with Metz, Kalidou Koulibaly enjoyed a rapid ascendancy during his two seasons with Genk. Such was his development that, in 2014, Italian giants Napoli moved to sign him for a fee of £6 million.
Initially, the step up in class from Belgian Pro League to Serie A was too much for the centre-back to handle.
Under Rafa Benitez’s leadership Napoli’s defence was the ninth-worst in the league in 2014-15 and Koulibaly struggled, making a number of errors in judgement and appearing clumsy on and off the ball.
However, since Maurizio Sarri arrived as the club’s head coach, all of that has changed.
Nowadays, Koulibaly is regarded as one of the best defenders in Italy.
The 25-year-old combines his physical power and pace with intelligent decisions, precise passing and the ability to bring the ball out of defence on his own when appropriate.
He is, in essence, the perfect modern centre-back.
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SERGEJ MILINKOVIC-SAVIC
Ultimately, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was only with Genk for one season.
He was an integral player for Serbia at the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, helping his country to victory and winning the Bronze Ball award in the process, and soon after that tournament he signed for Lazio in a £7 million deal.
Standing at just under 6’4”, it would be easy to misjudge the 21-year-old as a brutish defender without seeing him play.
In reality he is an exceptional, attack-minded midfield technician capable of operating centrally or behind a striker.
Milinkovic-Savic’s technical abilities belie his physique, and what he lacks in pace he makes up for in guile, finesse, ball control and tactical awareness.
After a steady debut season, he has developed into one of Lazio’s most consistent performers this term, and it won’t be long before bigger clubs come calling.
WILFRED NDIDI
On 15 January 2015, Wilfred Ndidi joined Genk for a fee of £150,000. Just under two years later, he left the club to join Leicester for £15 million.
His rise in value demonstrated the Belgian side’s propensity for scouting and nurturing raw talent.
Ndidi has had a tough start to life in the Premier League, appearing in two 3-0 defeats to Chelsea and Southampton. However, with his stamina, tackling and interceptions, he could be just the player Claudio Ranieri has been looking for to replace N’Golo Kante in central midfield.