Anderlecht look to Mpenza
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Article summary
RSC Anderlecht have agreed to buy Mbo Mpenza from Belgians rivals R. Excelsior Mouscron.
Article body
Personal terms
The player is currently on holiday, but is due to meet Anderlecht officials on Friday to agree personal terms before finalising his move to the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. The 27-year-old Mbo, the elder brother of the highly regarded Emile, has scored 39 goals in 102 games in two spells at Mouscron.
Playing record
He played the 1996/97 season there before moving on to R. Standard de Liège and then Sporting Clube de Portugal. After a short and unsuccessful spell with Galatasaray SK, he returned to Mouscron in January 2002. Mpenza missed just four games for the club this season as they finished fourth, 22 points adrift of runaway champions Anderlecht.
Extra dimension
Anderlecht coach Hugo Broos said he was delighted to have reached an agreement over the Belgium international forward. "Mbo fits into the Anderlecht style perfectly. His pace will add an extra dimension to the team and hopefully he can combine well with Aruna [Dindane] and really make a difference to our game," Broos said. Anderlecht will enter the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round.
