For the first time, Jesse Mputu returned to his departure from RFC Liège in January. The striker, struggling with an ankle injury, never really received his chance in the Challenger Pro League.
Jesse Mputu has never spoken publicly since his departure from RFC Liège for Aalst in January. The striker, an indisputable starter in Nationale 1 with the Sang & Marine, lost his place after moving up to the Challenger Pro League. In an exclusive interview with Walfoot.bethe 29-year-old striker returned to his departure.
“Last season I received a lot of playing time and scored 13 goals in the league. At the end of it I got injured. I spent the last few games on the bench, but I wasn’t ready. I still felt the pain when I left for vacation, and when I started the preparation.”
On the last day of the transfer window, I received a phone call and the club asked me to leave.
“I come back three days before the start of the season and I play a friendly match, without preparation. It was hard to have fought a whole season to move up to D1B and get injured. I’m trying to push to come back before the start and I manage to play a match against the Charleroi U23s, in which I score a goal and provide an assist. I have a really good match. Then, the season starts difficult for the team and two weeks later, on the last day. transfer window, I receive a phone call and the club asks me to leave.”
Faced with a fait accompli, Jesse Mputu ultimately stays in Liège, but no longer plays
A real blow for Jesse Mputu who didn’t expect that at all and who finds himself back against the wall. He finally found a way to stay at RFC Liège, but practically no longer had a say.
“I had no preparation, I fought to try to come back. It wasn’t easy. This injury was supposed to last a few weeks, four months passed between my injury and the recovery. And there , the club asked me to leave, on the last day of the transfer window I felt that something was broken.
“They told me that a Nationale 1 club wanted me. But I deserved to be there, I had participated in the promotion last season and I wanted to play in D1B. So telling me to leave knowing that I hadn’t done any preparation, that I had just returned… In a new club, it’s not ideal. Finally, I stay, but I feel that the club is not counting on me. part of the season, I play 73 minutes.”
Jesse Mputu finally leaves Liège for Aalst, and has bad luck
The inevitable happened a few months later. Jesse Mputu can, this time, look for a new club and is spoiled for choice. Several Nationale 1 teams, a division that he paced and generally dominated for a good part of his career, are returning to the gate. Mputu then made another choice which, at first, surprised.
“In January, I was made to understand that I would not have any playing time and that I could leave. It’s frustrating, but that’s football. There’s no feeling of sadness. We arrived in D1B, I have fewer references than others Even if, in my opinion and without pretension, I have the level Adriano (Bertaccini), those who know him say that he has had the level for a long time. But until you prove it, people are skeptical.”
“I could have gone to Nationale 1, but I live in Denderleeuw. Aalst is ten minutes away. Leaving in January is never ideal. So, to not be too disrupted, it was the best choice. The project seduced me. That of being champion, and of playing for the title again the following season. I told myself that in a year and a half, I could return to the Challenger Pro League. D2 VFV didn’t change anything.”
The rest, we know it. The first part of the story goes well, Aalst is champion in D2 VFV… but is closer than ever to its most total collapse. Bad luck for Jesse Mputu who will once again find a new employer for next season.
Liège is a different club. A traditional club, comparable to the Union”
And if his story with Number 4 did not end as he would have liked, Jesse Mputu has no resentment towards RFC Liège… quite the opposite.
“I spent a year in Liège with very good players, underrated players. I am happy for my former teammates. I wish them the best and I hope to face them soon. I am not surprised by their season , they could have claimed an even better place, close to the top 3.
“The club has everything it takes to perform, it’s a traditional club, comparable to Union, where I also played. This year in Liège made me grow, I was a better player leaving. I learned from all sides, and I thank everyone.”
