‘I could still play for this Antwerp side’ former Inter midfielder Radja Nainggolan speaks on the crisis at Antwerp | OneFootball

Antwerp are having a terrible season. the Great Old currently sit second bottom in the Pro League and are likely to make a managerial change. The situation has brought plenty of media attention, and now their former midfielder Radja Nainggolan has decided to weight in. The 37-year-old, now playing for Lokeren, was part of the side between from the summer of 2021 to October 2022. He made 55 appearances and scored six goals before his continued antics saw the club terminate his deal.

When asked if he thinks this current side could use him, the charismatic midfielder gave the expected answer. In an interview with HLN Nainggolan said ‘I think I could still play for this Antwerp side. Definitely in terms of quality. In the starting lineup? Absolutely. Then they can run and I’ll distribute the ball’. Clearly said slightly tongue in cheek, but the reality is that this Antwerp team lacks leadership on the pitch. Having an experienced midfielder in the mix would certainly help, but plenty would argue that a player with the track record of Nainggolan is probably not the one they want to bring in.

The former Inter and Cagliari midfielder joined Lokeren in January of this year and was part of their resurgence as they went from the bottom of the table to the play-offs, missing out on promotion in the end. So far this season the side are sitting in 10th place in the Challenger Pro League, with three wins, two draws and six defeats from 11 games.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson