Belgium Under-21 coach’s comments suggest why Charly Musonda failed at Celtic

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Musonda cancelled his two-year loan at Celtic from Chelsea in the summer.

The signing of Chelsea attacker Charly Musonda sparked excitement among Celtic fans when the Belgian star signed on the dotted line for the Scottish champions. But six months later, it ended in disaster.

The 22-year-old playmaker had agreed an 18-month loan spell with Celtic – a deal similar to Patrick Roberts’ move north of the border from Manchester City – but after just eight matches, the deal was cancelled.

Musonda had started well, but Brendan Rodgers gave him just four minutes of Scottish Premiership action from February 18 until the end of the season. It saw Musonda and Celtic agree to annul the move.

Question marks were raised over why Rodgers decided to drop Musonda, who was loaned to Real Betis in the past and joined Chelsea’s feeder club Vitesse Arnhem in the summer on loan from Chelsea once again.

But answers to those questions could come from Belgium’s Under-21 manager Johan Walem, who told Belgian outlet HLN that Musonda’s arrogance is getting in the way of his development as a footballer.

Walem said that Musonda failed to turn up for an Under-21 match because he felt as though he should have been in the senior side, despite hardly featuring for Chelsea when the match took place.

“Charly did not show up for the qualifying match against Turkey in August last year, so I went to see him at Chelsea, the problem is that Charly has so much ambition,” Walem said. “Charly thought he would be called for the A-team.

“He wants to be the biggest, the prettiest, the best. He may be more of an ‘8’ than a ’10’ – as a playmaker he wants to do too much, then he demands everything. Charly must first and foremost find peace and confidence in his head.”

Walem’s comments could be the reason for Musonda’s failed spell at Celtic, which saw the versatile attacker manage just eight appearances in all competitions. Earning £10,000 a week at Chelsea (Spotrac), Musonda is going downhill.

Certainly, if Musonda is to go far in the world of professional football, he needs to tone it down a notch and listen to those around him rather than feeling as though he is already the finished article.