Charly Musonda Jr just wants football to be fun again after ‘very difficult period’

There was a time that Charly Musonda Jr seemed destined for stardom. He had the skills, he had the credentials, he had the attitude. But that was a long time ago now. Unfortunately, things have not quite worked out as anyone would’ve hoped.

Back-to-back failed loans, at Real Betis (after a promising first six months) and then at Celtic were bad enough, but worse was even to follow. Just a few days after arriving at Vitesse last year, after spending preseason with Chelsea, he picked up a knee injury which would eventually rule him out for the entire 2018-19 season.

But hope dies last, and Charly Jr certainly hasn’t lost his. Neither have Vitesse, who have agreed to bring him back for a do-over season. Now it’s all about getting up to match fitness, playing again, and most importantly, making football fun again.

“It was a very difficult period. Because of that knee injury, I didn’t get a chance to play for Vitesse. [But] Vitesse really wanted me back and that’s why it made sense for me and an easy return.”

“I feel fit to play. 10% [of fitness] has to be added, but that can only be done by playing matches. If I can just train with the group and play matches, then it is already very good. I want as much as possible of course win games, but first [I have to] find the fun on the field.”

-Charly Musonda Jr; source: Voetbal Krank via Google Translate

Hopefully, he will find plenty of that going forward this season and beyond.

Musonda is still just 22 and signed a long-term contract extension two years ago, which ties him to the club through the 2021-22 season. May he find better luck this season than he’s had over the last couple years.