Manager reveals why £6.5 million man was allowed to join Newcastle

Genk manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck reveals that he allowed Matz Sels to join Newcastle United as the Championship side are an ambitious club.

Newcastle United splashed around £6.5 million to secure the services of Matz Sels from Gent this summer and his signing can be seen as a bit of a coup for the Magpies.

Sels had managed to earn the reputation as one of the finest young goalkeepers in Europe prior to his move to St. James’ Park and for Newcastle to have managed to lure the Belgian international despite their relegation into the Championship, can be seen as a major achievement.

Following a shaky start, Sels has managed to show his quality over the last few matches and he looks set to be a key player in Newcastle’s aspirations of earning promotion back into the Premier League.

Sels’ former manager at Gent, Hein Vanhaezebrouck, has recently been speaking regarding the 24-year-old’s move to Newcastle and has explained that he allowed his star player to leave for Tyneside due to the English club’s ever growing ambition.

“As a club we allow players who have made a step forward to move abroad, especially if the club receive an appropriate transfer fee in return,” Vanhaezebrouck told Nieuwsblad (via the Chronicle).

“Due to his good performances in recent years, that was the last but certainly not the main reason [we let him go]. Matz made a nice transfer to an ambitious and traditional club in England.”