Michel-Ange Balikwisha has expressed his delight after ending a frustrating spell at Celtic to complete a loan move to KAA Gent. The Belgian-born DR Congo international completed his transfer on August 29th, securing a path back to the Jupiler Pro League with an option for Gent to make the deal permanent.
A Difficult Chapter in Glasgow
Celtic pursued the 25-year-old forward for over a year before finally signing him from Royal Antwerp in August 2025. However, his time in Scotland failed to take off:
- Under Brendan Rodgers: Balikwisha logged just 263 minutes across nine appearances before Rodgers departed the club in October 2025.
- Under Martin O’Neill: Following the managerial change, his involvement dropped further, managing only 162 minutes in five matches and effectively disappearing from the first-team picture.
Despite his minimal game time in Scotland, Gent moved quickly to offer him a fresh start. Balikwisha has already featured twice as a substitute for his new club.
Balikwisha on His Return to Belgium
Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, Balikwisha made no secret of his relief at playing regularly again:
”It gives me immense pleasure to be back in action. I’m a player who really loves playing football. Whatever happens, I think it is wonderful to be on the pitch. That is why I am so happy to be here.”
He noted that Gent’s belief in him, combined with the chance to compete in European football, made the decision straightforward:
BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS (Photo by Tom Goyvaerts / BELGA MAG / Belga / AFP via Getty Images)
”Moreover, this is a club that plays in Europe, and of course, I know the Belgian league very well. Furthermore, KAA Gent followed my situation closely and really wanted me to relaunch my career here. Naturally, I hope to get more playing time in the long term, like I did at Standard and Antwerp. On the other hand, I found a very quiet and family-oriented club here. The group is very modest and also quite young.”
Balikwisha remains under contract with Celtic until 2030, but his immediate focus centers on rebuilding his form in Belgium and featuring in Gent’s UEFA Conference League campaign.