Jay-Dee Geusens, 22, midfielder for KSK Beveren, is trying the lucrative adventure in the UAE Pro League.
He will indeed play at the Al Jazira Club in Abu Dhabi, the Waeslandian club announced on Monday. He signed a contract there until June 2027.
His teammates will include Nabil Fekir (ex-Olympique Lyonnais, Betis Sevilla), Mohamed Elneny (ex-Arsenal), Karim Rekik (ex-PSV, Eindhoven, Olympique Marseille, Sevilla) and Neeskens Kebano (ex-RSC Charleroi and Genk) .
Geusens was only playing his second season at Freethiel, where he arrived last year from Racing Genk.
The club was not keen to let him go
He had started very well under the leadership of coach Marink Reedijk, with goals in the opening match against Lommel (2-1) and at Dessel Sport (2-3 after extra time) in the Cup, and was an integral part of the SK Beveren’s plans for the 2024-2025 season, the club specifies in its press release (https://tinyurl.com/2r5xzm7y).
Beveren was therefore not very keen on letting the player go. After intense negotiations, an agreement was finally reached at club level as well, in the interest of all parties (the transfer amount was not revealed, editor’s note).
SK Beveren also negotiated a percentage on the resale.
“Obligated to seize this opportunity!”
“A new wind is blowing through Freethiel this season,” admits Jay-Dee Geusens.
“We notice it at all levels: on and off the pitch. The atmosphere is excellent, the group is well-knit and people work very hard every day to improve. I felt ready to play an important role and I was able to show it during the first matches so the decision to leave this project was not easy to make, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity offered to me at Al-Jazeera… .”
Jay-Dee Geusens played a total of 30 games with Beveren, scoring 3 goals and giving 2 assists.
Al Jazira is eighth in the UAE professional championship with 6 points out of 12.
Beveren is ninth in the Challenger Pro League with 9 points out of 18.
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