In just five games, Charly Musonda Jr. has already accomplished something that the likes of established big-name veterans Rafael van der Vaart and Ricky van Wolfsvinkel have failed to do: become a local hero and save Real Betis from immediate relegation after getting promoted back up to La Liga last season. While that task won't be complete until the end of the season, Musonda's performances since arriving on loan from Chelsea have played a major role in the five-match unbeaten run that has dragged Sevilla's other team out of the dangerzone and back into winning ways after a dozen matches without one.
On Thursday, he was once a standout performer as Betis won 3-0 against Espanyol.
Exciting stuff, with positively Hazard-ian numbers (good Hazard, not bad Hazard): 8/11 take-ons; 3 fouls suffered.
Perhaps just as importantly, Musonda seems to be keeping well-grounded and after some recent social media gaffes, keeping out of the limelight as much as possible.
"My mother, father and one of my brothers are here in Sevilla with me. It's important to have my family close, as it is for everyone else in the world."
-Charly Musonda; source: Estadio Deportivo via Yahoo UK
"I'm 19 years old and I've come here to play football. I'm not a star. The fans treat me as if I'm a rock star but I've only come here to play football. They've surprised me and I think I've surprised them. Betis is a fantastic club; the coach and his staff. I'm very happy here and I want to keep improving."
-Charly Musonda; source: ABC Sevilla via Yahoo UK
Yahoo's report also contains confirmation of the handshake agreement* that we heard of at the time the loan was agreed, that Musonda will likely be spending next season at Betis as well should the first six months work out to everyone's satisfaction. So far, looks like everything's going swimmingly.
* Betis's technical director used to work at Fiorentina before this season, it turns out! Hopefully this doesn't turn into another Salah-days of Our Lives soap opera.