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An interesting one when Matz Sels made his way back to England in January 2024, Nottingham Forest paying a reported £7m for the then 31 year old goalkeeper.
Seven and a half years earlier than that, a bold move by Rafa Benitez back in 2016 when after relegation, he made the Belgian keeper part of his massive rebuild ahead of the Championship challenge.
A then 24 year old Matz Sels brought in for £5.5m from Gent and he looked pretty decent overall, as he started the opening nine Championship matches, however, one serious flaw at the time. Seemingly terrified of crosses and unable to deal with them.
It all ended painfully on 24 October 2016 when in his ninth league start, Matz Sels was once again blamed for a goal, conceding late on in a 1-1 draw at Villa.
He never played in the league again for Newcastle (just a handful of cup appearances followed, including a horrendous mistake at Hull in November 2016 when United led and looked to be heading into the semi-finals of the League Cup) and was eventually sold after two years at NUFC, for £3.6m to Strasbourg, United making a couple of million loss.
When Matz Sels arrived back in England, his first home Premier League game was against… Newcastle United. The former United keeper conceded three as Eddie Howe’s side won 3-2 in February 2024.
Then on Sunday, Matz Sels faced Newcastle for a second time at the City Ground, conceding three once again in that 3-1 NUFC victory (Sels was rested when Newcastle won at Forest in the cup in August).
Matz Sels has been talking to the media in Belgium following that latest loss to Eddie Howe’s side.
The Forest keeper is part of the Belgium squad that is set to face Sandro Tonali and Italy tonight.
Despite the three goals conceded on Sunday, Matz Sels has only conceded Premier League goals this season in the 11 PL games, only Liverpool have conceded fewer goals.
Matz Sels talking to De Morgen about Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, returning to England:
“Why it is working out now [with Nottingham Forest] and not at Newcastle United eight years ago?
“It was my first time abroad [at Newcastle United] and the start was very difficult.
“That was one of my biggest regrets.
“I wasn’t able to turn around that negative perception back then.
“I don’t look back on that period with resentment because every football player has a period [such as that]… something like that makes you stronger.
“The most important thing is how you deal with those moments.
“I have had very good seasons in France in recent years [five and a half seasons at Strasbourg], however, it went more under the radar.
“I don’t mind that, it has brought me to where I am now.
“For 99 percent of football players, the Premier League is the dream.
“The intensity [in the Premier League] I haven’t seen anywhere else.
“Every day I work hard to prove that I am worthy of playing in the Premier League.”

 
