Finish Position: 3rd
Overview:
Genk finished the regular season top of the league, nine points clear of second-placed Club Brugge. What ensued was a dismal run of form in the Championship group, picking up only 13 points from a possible 30. Losing both of their fixtures against Union and Brugge ultimately condemned the De Smurfen to third in the table. Thorsten Fink achieved a 62% win percentage in his first year in charge of the club, and will hope to improve on that finish next season. In the Belgian Cup, Genk narrowly lost to Brugge 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-final.
Considering that they had no continental football this year, finishing 3rd has assured that Genk will be playing in the Europa League play-off round next campaign, a big improvement on the past year.
Player of the Season: Toluwalase Arokodare
Arokodare has been a revelation this campaign, finishing the joint-top scorer of the Pro League with 21 goals. The 6ft 5in striker has an uncanny resemblance to ex-striker Paul Onuachu, another Nigerian whose big presence has lit up the Belgian top flight. The forward joined from French side Amiens at the start of 2023, and has slowly imporved his goal tally over the last three seasons. His stellar form this season has earned him links to several top German clubs such as Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
Young Player of the Season: Mike Penders
Having just signed for Chelsea for £17 million, Penders was loaned back out to his boyhood club this season. In this first season in the senior squad at Genk, Penders broke into the first team in January. Since then, Genk haven’t looked back, and the young keeper has shone for his side. He’s saved two out of the five penalties he’s faced and, according to FotMob, he has a 74% save percentage. His average match rating of 7.14 is incredibly impressive for the 19-year-old.
Summer needs:
As Penders will be recalled back to Chelsea, Genk have identified 24-year-old Fredrikstad goalkeeper Jonathan Fischer as a potential replacement. The Dane has enjoyed a great start to the season and would not cost much to bring through the door. Arokodare could depart and Genk have enquired about the ability of GAIS striker Ibrahim Diabaté. The Ivorian has scored nine goals in the Allsvenskan and has also attracted interest from several clubs in Germany. Daan Heymans is on the verge of completing a move from Charleroi, after scoring 14 league goals this season.
