Peter Maes backs Nigeria’s Rafiu Durosinmi and Aaron Bibout to emulate Paul Onuachu, Tolu Arokodare at Genk

Former Genk coach Peter Maes believes Rafiu Durosinmi and Aaron Bibout could form a formidable attacking partnership, drawing comparisons with the Belgian club’s successful spells with Nigerian forwards Paul Onuachu and Tolu Arokodare.

Durosinmi has made an impressive start to the season, scoring seven goals in 10 appearances across all competitions to establish himself as one of Genk’s most effective attacking options.

The Nigerian striker has scored six times in the Belgian Pro League and once in the Belgian Cup, strengthening his case for a leading role as the club explore ways to maximise their attacking potential.

Maes believes pairing Durosinmi with Bibout could give Genk a more versatile forward line, provided the team adjusts its attacking approach to accommodate the different qualities of the two strikers.

Maes identifies potential in Durosinmi-Bibout partnership

The former Genk manager believes both forwards could complement each other, with one providing a physical presence up front while the other focuses on finishing opportunities.

“With Durosinmi and Bibout, it should be perfectly possible to play with two strikers. One as a lightning rod, the other as a finisher. However, the wingers then need to drop inside more, and the game needs to be more vertical,” he said, as quoted by Het Belang van Limburg.

Maes’ assessment suggests Genk could benefit from deploying both players together rather than relying on a conventional single-striker system.

However, he believes such an approach would require tactical adjustments, particularly from the wingers, who would need to move into narrower positions to support the forwards.

A more direct attacking style would also be necessary to ensure the partnership operates effectively, allowing Genk to exploit the contrasting strengths of Durosinmi and Bibout.

Durosinmi’s current form makes him an attractive option for such a system, having demonstrated his ability to find the net consistently in both league and cup competitions.

His seven goals in 10 appearances underline the impact he has made early in the campaign and provide a strong foundation for discussions about his role in Genk’s long-term attacking plans.

Bibout tipped to follow Onuachu and Arokodare

Maes also expressed confidence in Bibout’s potential, backing the forward to follow in the footsteps of Onuachu and Arokodare, two Nigerian strikers who previously made their mark at Genk.

Both forwards enjoyed productive spells at the Belgian club, establishing themselves as important attacking figures before moving on to other opportunities.

Onuachu became particularly influential during his time at Genk, earning recognition for his goalscoring exploits, while Arokodare also contributed to the club’s attacking ambitions.

Maes believes Bibout possesses the qualities to continue that tradition and emerge as another leading striker for the club.

“I am convinced that he will be the next in the line of great Genk strikers like Onuachu and Tolu,” he concluded.

His comments highlight the expectations surrounding Bibout, whose development could become an important part of Genk’s plans as they seek to strengthen their attacking options.

Durosinmi’s form offers Genk fresh attacking possibilities

For Durosinmi, his early-season scoring record provides an opportunity to establish himself further and potentially build a productive understanding with Bibout.

The prospect of the pair playing together could offer Genk a different dimension in attack, particularly if the team can implement the tactical changes outlined by Maes.

With seven goals already to his name, Durosinmi has demonstrated his capacity to make a decisive contribution, while Maes’ backing of Bibout adds another layer of intrigue to Genk’s attacking plans.

Whether the Belgian side adopts a two-striker formation remains to be seen, but Maes believes the ingredients are available for a partnership capable of echoing the success enjoyed by Onuachu and Arokodare.