Genk Declines Wolfsburg’s Offer for Matte Smets

As reported by HLN, Genk has turned down an offer close to €19 million from Bundesliga club Wolfsburg for defender Matte Smets. Despite Wolfsburg increasing their offer by €3 million, the Belgian club has decided against accepting any bids this late in the transfer window. Compounding the situation for Wolfsburg, it is believed that Smets himself is not particularly enthusiastic about moving to a team currently struggling in the Bundesliga.

Smets’ Journey and Development

Matte Smets rose to prominence during his tenure at Sint Truiden. After progressing through the club’s youth academy, he caught the eye of head coach Thorsten Fink during the 2023/2024 season, which led to him accompanying Fink to Genk. While he is still developing as a player, Smets has been a consistent presence for Genk since his transfer in 2024. He has made a total of 78 appearances for the club thus far.

Given Genk’s struggles this season, it’s understandable that they are hesitant to part ways with such an important defender at this stage. Additionally, the current issues at Wolfsburg make the move less appealing for the 22-year-old, who aims to secure a place in the Belgian national team for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.