Mike Tresor Ndayishimiye is cutting his own path to success. The Genk offensive midfielder has been in fine form in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League this season. The exploits of the 23-year-old midfielder is the reason not only why Genk is at the top of the table but Amavubi head coach Carlos Alos Ferrer is also chasing his international football services in a Rwandan shirt. Ndayishimiye has made a whopping 21 assists in 34 league games, the highest in Belgium this campaign. He also boasts eight league goals. Ndayishimiye was born in a footballing family. His father Freddy Ndayishimiye is a former Burundi international who featured in the lower tier leagues in Belgium while his mother is a Rwandan. Born on May 28, 1999 in Antwerp, Belgium, Ndayishimiye started his career with KFC Avernik Lembeek U10 before joining Tubize. His performance attracted the attention from Anderlecht who went on to sign him to play for their youth team until 2018 when he had his major breakthrough. Dutch Eredivisie side NEC invited Ndayishimiye then 19 for trials after he had been released by Anderlecht in July 2018 and he hugely impressed. He joined NEC in September 2018 and made 29 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing three assists. After one season, he was loaned to Willem II after which the deal was made permanent. He scored 14 goals and provided 18 assists in 60 games for Willem from 2019 to 2021 and he was among the best midfielders in the Dutch Eredivisie League. Scouts of several clubs including PSV, Club Brugge, his former Club Anderlecht and others watched him but it was Genk who finally paid a transfer fee of 3.50 Million Euros to sign him on July 7, 2021. His first season at Genk was impressive, he made a total of 37 appearances in all competitions scoring 8 goals which includes a goal in the Champions League 3rd qualifying round game against Shakhtar Donetsk on October 8, 2021. Ndayishimiye has been on fire this 2022/23 season, he has assisted most of the 15 goals scored by Ghanaian forward Joseph Paintsil. The two players complement each other and between them, they have netted a combined 23 goals and provided 35 assists. He could leave Genk this summer as a host of English Premier League teams including Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Wolves as well as Dutch giants Ajax are all monitoring him. On the international scene, Ndayishimiye is eligible to play for Rwanda, Burundi and Belgium where he was born. He has represented the latter at U21 level where he played six games scoring three goals. He is yet to be capped at senior level and a switch to feature for the countries of his parents looks very much likely. So far, it is Rwanda who have shown tremendous interest in Ndayishimiye. Amavubi coach Ferrer has already made direct contact with his parents in an attempt to lure him to play for Rwanda, the country of his mother. I visited the family of Mike Tresor Ndayishimiye in Belgium a few months ago. Now, we would try again but it is his decision, we cannot do more about it, Ferrer told Times Sport. The offensive midfielder will certainly be a big plus should he decide to play for Amavubi since the Ferrer currently relies much on 17-year-old Hakim Sahabo. Ndayishimiye, who is on the brink of landing the Ebony award which is given to the best player of African descent in Belgium, will no doubt bring quality to the Rwanda team ahead of next month's AFCON qualifier against Mozambique should he honor Ferrer’s wish. Despite being born and bred in Belgium, Ndayishimiye seems not to have forgotten his African roots as he has both the Rwandan and Burundian flags on his Instagram official page.
