As reported by Voetbalkrant, a recent interview with Mechelen winger Nikola Storm revealed that the player could have left the club in January. French side Stade Reims put in a bid of around €3m for the 28-year-old, but because Mechelen were in a relegation battle they rejected the offer. Storm said ‘In January, Stade Reims wanted to pay three million and I wanted to go there too. But KV Mechelen did not allow it, because we were in the relegation battle and in the semi-finals of the cup. We’ll see what the summer brings’.
Storm will be hoping to help guide Mechelen to their third ever domestic cup when they face Antwerp in the final on Sunday. This season, the winger has scored four goals and provided three assists in 30 games. These numbers are down on last season, when he scored 15 goals in 38 games. Many speculated that this would lead to a move last summer, but nothing materialised.
Mechelen are in need of player sales to fund transfers this summer, so if the French side were to return it is likely that a deal could be reached. With relegation avoided, the side may well decide that cash in on Storm in order to improve the squad in other areas.
Stade Reims are currently managed by former Beerschot head coach Will Still, whose brother Ed Still recently left Eupen after they avoided relegation, despite losing 7-0 to Club Brugge on the final day of the season.
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Ben Jackson
