In recent years, Antwerp has been particularly dependent on the money from patron Paul Gheysens, but that seems to be slowly changing. The Great Old has still suffered significant losses in recent seasons, but it is starting to earn more and more income from transfers.
Last season, for example, the club’s transfer record was broken no fewer than twice. First Willian Pacho was sold to Eintracht Frankfurt for around 9 million euros and in August Ajax paid no less than 12.5 million euros for Gaston Avlia. That record also seems to have a short life.
Antwerp discovers French gold mine
It is expected that the sale of Arthur Vermeeren in January or at the latest in the summer will completely pulverize the record. Moreover, Antwerp still has a few players in its selection that it may be able to capitalize on in the future. Just think of Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Soumaïla Coulibaly and George Ilenikhena.
The latter could well create a new trend. The 17-year-old striker was signed from Amiens in Ligue 2 for 6 million euros in the summer. Antwerp seems to be planning to fish in France, as it has also been linked to Belgian youth international Ayanda Sishuba (Lens) in recent weeks. ) and Emmanuel Biumla, an 18-year-old defender from Bordeaux.
Thanks to head scout
According to Sacha Tavolieri, Antwerp can thank head scout Joachim Vercaigne for discovering the new French gold mine. “He works really well in the field of talent detection,” says the journalist Foot Market. “France is one of the markets. Especially Ligue 2, because in that competition the physical and technical-tactical requirements are similar to those in Belgium.”
So don’t be alarmed if unknown French talents like Ilenikhena visit the Bosuil in the coming mercatos. After all, his arrival was a resounding success, because he scores regularly and is already being followed by several top foreign clubs.
2023-12-31 22:40:00
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