Noa Lang has a lot of admirers.
Premier League giants Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham United to name but three. But the Club Brugge starlet should not expect to receive a Christmas card through the post from Radja Nainggolan any time soon.
“In terms of pure quality, I think he is one of the better players (in the Jupiler League),” says the former Inter Milan and Roma ace, now plying his trade in Belgium with Royal Antwerp (Het Nieuwsblad).
“But no matter how good he may be, I can’t stand him. Always gesticulating with his hands and protesting.”
Lang’s celebration after scoring in Brugge’s 3-2 win away at KRC Genk in late-November certainly didn’t endear himself to Nainggolan.
Taking a leaf out of the Harry Maguire playbook, Lang responded to his critics by placing a finger on his lips.
Oh a penny for Roy Keane’s thoughts.
“Shutting everyone up after he was invisible for five matches… these are things I can’t live with. If he kept his feet on the ground, he’d be twice as good,” Nainggolan.
Nainggolan, of course, doesn’t really have a leg to stand on when it comes to questioning another player’s professionalism.
This is a guy who, just last month, defended the fact that he has spent much of his career smoking like the proverbial chimney, a fondness for cigarettes ruining his hopes of marking a legacy with the Belgian national team.
He has a point about Lang though.
Is Noa Lang heading to the Premier League?
Compared to PSG superstar Neymar as much due to his wind-up antics as his supreme technical ability, Lang’s ‘bad boy’ image led to his downfall under Erik Ten Hag at Ajax, despite becoming the first player to score a hat-trick on his Eredivisie debut for the club in 60 years.
As reported by The Athletic, Marcelo Bielsa decided against bringing Lang to Leeds United last summer too, fearing that his individualistic approach would clash with a side who value togetherness and a team-work more than anything else.
Voetbal Belgie reported recently, however, that Arsenal and West Ham are still considering taking a punt on the £34 million-rated Lang. He was named the Belgian League’s Player of the Year as Brugge stormed to the title last season.
Liverpool are also fluttering their eyelashes in his direction (Calciomercato).
But can Mikel Arteta, David Moyes and Jurgen Klopp – three managers who do not suffer fools gladly – reign in Lang’s less-than desirable characteristics and place Holland’s own enfant terrible on the straight and narrow?
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