The ball is in the court. Nikolas Sattlberger is a Genkie. The 20-year-old midfielder signed a five-season contract at Cegeka Arena. Sattlberger makes the move from Rapid Vienna in his homeland, where he progressed through the youth series and became a regular in midfield last season.
The Austrian already collected nine caps as a promise international. His name has also featured in the ample European Championship pre-selection of the Austrian main squad. It is therefore no secret that the tall midfielder will be succeeded at short notice by Austrian national coach Rangnick.
The new Genk acquisition underwent punishing physical tests on Monday afternoon. Despite his young age, he also has a huge personality and revealed himself as a real leader on the pitch at Rapid Vienna. All qualities that gave him an edge with Head of Football Dimitri de Condé. "He is also a very clever player who, thanks to his strong positional play and length (1m91), has a great interception ability. With his profile, he should provide balance in Genk's midfield," the Genk Head of Football indicated the choice.
Despite interest from several other clubs, the brand-new Genkie's decision was quick: "KRC Genk is a club with a big name that competes for prizes every season. When I heard about the interest from Genk, my choice was immediately fixed. Other tracks were never an option. This is the perfect step in my development as a player," Sattlberger sounds ambitious.
