Yet to feature for Burnley in the Premier League despite being 22 and at the club since 2013, Ntumba Massanka was sent in January to RWDM Molenbeek in Belgium’s third tier for the rest of the season.
Technically non-professional football, the Eerste Amateur league will nevertheless give the imposing striker a chance to get some official minutes under his belt, something he wasn’t getting at Turf Moor.
Getting his first taste against RFC Lüttich on Sunday, playing 29 minutes of the 0-0 draw after coming off the bench, the player was pleased with what he had to offer, and also grateful towards RWDM for giving him the opportunity.
Speaking to La Capitale, he also explained how the move came about, and how Burnley midfielder Steven Defour influenced his decision to choose the Belgian side.
He said: “My agent presented me with the move to RWDM. I then did some research and saw it was a big club in Brussels. I spoke to Steven about it and he only had good things to say. He told me I’d enjoy myself over there.“That’s exactly what’s happened. People have been really nice to me. I really appreciated the welcome, and I was very motivated as soon as I stepped on the pitch.”
A product of Manchester United’s academy, where he played between the ages of six and 12, the 22-year-old had, since 2016, been sent on numerous loans to clubs such as York City, Morecambe FC, Wrexham and Dover Athletic.
