Dodi Lukebakio Ngandoli’s career is hanging in the balance with the youngster sandwiched between playing for either Belgium or DR Congo.
But the 19-year-old may as well go on to turn his back on his country of birth to commit his allegiance to DR Congo, where his parent hails giving the dramatic circumstance he’s gotten involved in.
The attacking player’s future is being threatened by an unpleasant situation triggered by an administrative irregularity on the occasion of his transfer from Belgian Pro League giants Anderlecht to Toulouse (TFC) of French Ligue Une.
Convinced by his inimitable brilliance on the ball, fine pace and footwork, Toulouse activated the clause in the player’s contract, brokering an agreement with twelve times Belgian First Division title winners RSC Andelecht to sign him on a loan deal.
Details of the agreement demands a permanent contract be signed between the French outfit and Lukebakio hinging massively on the starlet’s performances at expiry of the 11-month agreed loan deal.
Believing they are snapping up the services of the most sought-after ace to emerge in Belgian football of recent and ardent on reinforcing their attacking force, TFC’s gaffer Pascal Dupraz went ahead sanctioning a deal for Dodi’s switch to the Stadium Municipal.
The signing, believed to be in excess of €1m, effectively ended longstanding speculations about the winger’s future. TFC had hoped they were acquiring an EU player and the arrival of the 19-year-old will see him quickly fast-tracked to the A-team. But trouble began brewing when the French outfit realized –rather late – their deadline day signing wouldn’t be able to play owing to his complicated nationality status.
From Asse in the suburbs of the capital Brussels, Dodi was born in Belgium to Congolese parents but his nationality is rocked by uncertainty after his family couldn’t produce his birth certificate.
It also happened that Anderlecht whom he’d starred four seventeen times last term, did not relay to new employers Toulouse (TFC) the issue with the player at time of completion of the transfer. Compounding the problem, TFC had exhausted their quota of non-EU players with the capture of Ibrahim Sangare, Pavle Ninkov, Dusan Veskovac and Brazil’s Somália completing the list.
The drama renders Dodi ineligible to be fielded in any Ligue One game, a thing which means he might train with his new teammates but wouldn’t get played.
International future
The unpleasant occurrence has left the player and his representatives seething giving technical interpretation of this dogging episode classifies him as a stateless citizen with his Belgian birth certificate nowhere to be seen.
Pursuing dreams of playing in Ligue One with Toulouse remains possible but that will mean having to endure the frustration of waiting till the transfer window reopens, when another deal is signed and his Belgian citizenship is resolved
And offering him an escape route DR Congo has beckoned to the left-wing-wizard to play for his parent’s country of birth. Accepting Congo FA’s proposal to play for The Leopards will see him granted a Congolese passport, automatically becoming an international player, a chapter that will all but end the soap opera lingering over him.
Meanwhile choosing Congo, which appears likely, will require the 19-year-old kissing goodbye to his long harboured hopes of one day playing for The Red Devils of Belgium.
Pressing home their advantage, Congo coach Florent Ibengé has taken the next step to include the Anderlecht youth product to his 24-man squad due to face Libya in the World Cup qualifier match scheduled for October 4th.
Temptation to join Congo looks irresistible, however, whether the dribble-obsessed star would endorse this move by showing up for the Libya game remains to be seen.
Featured Photo: Courtesy of Anderlecht-Online.be
