The 21-year-old defender has moved to Europe, joining a club that has a reputation for discovering and developing young talent.
In a time where you can see the top stars of the U.S. men’s national team play for the likes of Barcelona, Juventus and Chelsea, Mark McKenzies ’move to Genk doesn’t stand out at all.
He will not be playing alongside Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. It won’t be on TV week in, week out, in front of some of the world’s biggest stars.
On the surface, McKenzie’s move to Belgium is far from what would be described as sexy.
However, while Genk may not be as appealing to some of the clubs mentioned above, it has a good track record in creating superstitions,
And so while McKenzie may not have signed for the Champions League champion, he did just one of the top talent factories in the world.
On Thursday, the Philadelphia Union confirmed the well – known news of its arrival, announcing McKenzie ‘s $ 6 million move to Belgium.
It came after months of speculation and moving rumors, linking him to Celtic in particular as well as teams in the Premier League and Bundesliga.
But, in the end, Genk won out, and they did so because of what they can offer: a reasonable path to success.
There are no promises in this sport, and it is not certain that McKenzie ‘s move to Genk is the right one, but it is one that will allow some of the biggest names in the sport to follow suit. high.
“This is the right step for Mark and for the club, as our young talent continues to take steps within our organization,” said Union sports director Ernst Tanner.
“We are so proud of Mark and the winning spirit he brings to every game and training session, and we know he will continue to do so at Genk, which will give him every opportunity to achieve his goals. to achieve. ”
In the last few years, Genk has become a “trampoline for talent”, emerging as one of the leading producers of young footballers. Several of the brightest players in the game began their careers at the Belgian club, which has benefited greatly from the export of the next generation of stars.
They include local talents such as Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Divock Origi and Christian Benteke – all of whom went on to shine in some of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues as well as being full-time inter-league players. national.
But this is not just a starting point for Belgian players.
Kalidou Koulibaly, the Napoli star who could become one of the most expensive midfielders in the world, spent two years with the club before he became one of the best Serie As.
Bayer Leverkusen star Leon Bailey suffered a major setback with the Belgian side, as did Wilfried Ndidi, who spent two years with Genk before becoming a regular Premier League side with Leicester City.
“Genk brings together young players, they try to get them to understand football properly, you know,” Ndidi said Amas in 2017. “It was sad [when I came in] this was my first time coming to Europe.
“I stayed with a family who tried to make me feel like I was at home. There were different managers too with different approaches, but they always try to keep the first – team players young and give them a chance. They’re good and they seem to be finding the right players. “
McKenzie, as Ndidi, will now begin his first European experience. After appearing as the best XI-level defender in MLS, he goes to a league that represents a small step up in rank, depending on who you ask.
However, while the step up is a nice step, it is not the only reason for this move.
The first thing this move will do is push McKenzie out of his comfort zone. Having risen with the Union, he will now try to find out the problems of European football.
And, perhaps more importantly, this move sends McKenzie back to the shop window. Genk doesn’t buy foreign players to build around; they buy them for sale.
As a well-known exporter of talent, Genk will draw eyes from top European teams, and those eyes will only multiply if the club secures a place in the Europa League or Champions League in the years to come.
For the Union, this move is an absolute win. He proves that this is a club that can export talent, having recently sold Brenden Aaronson to Red Bull Salzburg.
Like McKenzie, Aaronson ‘s move puts him right into the shop window, giving him the metaphorical step up while also giving the Union a good sales tax.
McKenzie will now try to make the most of it, as he is still in a battle for USMNT’s place. There are plenty of controversies at the center-back position, but success in Europe would give a big boost as the US embarks on the 2021 campaign which will include World Cup, League of Nations, Gold Cup qualification. and the Olympics.
“I have confidence in myself to play well for the USMNT if I get the chance,” he said Amas in September as rumors of a move were changing. “I am very confident and able to represent my country and play as a key defender.
“I think I’ve shown that ability. I’m not perfect and I can improve my confidence while playing out from behind, stepping in. to the middle of the park and cutting out passes I am not the perfect defender but I am getting better.
“I have the confidence to go there and compete. And I’m sure if I get a chance, I’ll catch it with both hands.”
These games are the time when most Americans get a glimpse of Mackenzie’s progress as he continues his career abroad. However, in the meantime, McKenzie will start preparing himself as he looks to become the latest talent to trampoline at Genk.