Aston Villa were all linked with Genk talisman Mbwana Samatta.
If Mbwanna Samatta wants to prove that he belongs at the very top level, he is going the right way about it.
A striker whose 32 goals fired Genk to the Jupiler League title last season was linked with a £12 million move to a whole host of Premier League clubs in June. According to The Sun, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Watford and Brighton and Hove Albion were apparently interested.
But despite Samatta’s burning desire to prove himself in England, no move materialised with Villa, Leicester and Brighton fully focused on Wesley Moraes, Ayoze Perez and Ismaila Sarr.
Yet since the transfer window slammed shut in early August, the 26-year-old has got his head down and picked up where he left off after a career-best 2018/19 campaign. Samatta has six in eight already and even scored on his Champions League debut on Tuesday night.
The Tanzanian international was understandably overshadowed by 19-year-old Erling Braut Haaland, whose hat-trick during Red Bull Salzburg’s 6-2 win put him in the record books alongside Wayne Rooney and Raul, but it was Samatta who scored the best goal of the game.
Reacting in a flash after the ball dropped invitingly in the box, Samatta showcased his predatory instincts with a fizzing first-time effort which nearly took the back of the net off.
Take note Brighton, Leicester, Watford and particularly an Aston Villa side who were oh so profligate against West Ham on Monday; if you need a striker in January, you know where to look.
For now, Samatta will be fully focused on maintaining his outstanding goal-scoring form for Genk, even if a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League looks like a pipe dream already.
In the meantime, Aston Villa’s big money summer signing Wesley has scored just once in five Premier League games this season and spurned their best opening against The Hammers in that dreadful goalless draw.
If he doesn’t want more competition arriving in the New Year, he needs to improve that tally.
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