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Scouts from Manchester City were in attendance at the blockbuster Europa League clash between KRC Genk and Dinamo Zagreb, involving a red card, two goals in extra-time, and a late twist.
In one of the most exciting fixtures the competition has seen this season, Belgian Pro League side Genk came out 6-4 winners on aggregate after Daan Heymans scored a 114th-minute winner in front of 11,225 supporters following Luka Stoijkovic’s red card nine minutes prior.
Genk showed fight and desire to come back from a 3-0 defeat to Standard Liege – their first defeat in eight matches. Not only was that a dispiriting loss for Nicky Hayen’s side, but their star talent Konstantinos Karetsas was forced off with a concussion late on.
Labelled the ‘Greek Messi’, Karetsas had contributed to 19 goals in all competition this season across 37 games before his concussion, and has drawn transfer attention from the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea in recent weeks.
Indeed, the attacking midfielder is destined for a bright career given his ability to control the ball in tight spaces and weave in and around defenders. The confident 18-year-old has significant talent and can produce breathtaking moments in the blink of an eye.
Despite his ability, Karetsas did not feature because of his setback but there was plenty more on show for the scouts, of which there were “no fewer than 23”, according to Sporza, translated and relayed by Sport Witness.
The English scouting list, which was extensive, included Manchester City and Chelsea among others, yet who they were there to see remains up for debate with Karetsas being excluded. Still, it is thought that the talent lies within Genk’s squad elsewhere.
Some of the names include Zakaria El Ouahdi, Yammer Medina and Matte Smets that Sporza have mentioned — they have also been considered by clubs outside of England in recent weeks according to the publication.
While it was reported by HLN at the end of last month that Chelsea sent a scout to watch Medina in action, City have also shown similar interest in prospects coming out of Genk, which is considered one of Europe’s most prolific clubs for player development.
The four-time Belgian champions have sold a number of the world’s greatest footballers in recent decades including Thibaut Courtois and City icon Kevin de Bruyne. Others such as Tolu Arokodare, Sander Berge, Wilfred Ndidi and Leandro Trossard have all played for them in the past.
Genk’s team at present may not seem as remarkable as the aforementioned talent they have shown the door, however, it is likely Karetsas and co. will catch the eyes of many in the coming years, especially if they continue to produce performance like that on Thursday evening.
Hugo Viana has made an enormous difference at Manchester City in his first two transfer windows as the clubs sporting director, signing the likes of Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo, and his ambition towards youth prospects maintains similar determination.