Dutch attacking winger Steven Bergwijn looked as though he might have the world at his feet as he made plenty of headlines, and saw his stock rise hugely as he progressed through Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven’s renowned youth ranks.
With 30 goals to his name in just over 100 starting appearances for their first team squad (league and Europe), he attracted the attention of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and then manager Jose Mourinho convinced the board to bring him into the club in January 2020, for a reported £27 million, with the player securing a five year deal to boot.
It is not unfair to say that it was not the spell most expected for him, he started brightly enough but many continued to question whether or not he was physically suited to the top flight. Even though he was interrupted by injury, the PL break for Covid 19 played in his favour and allowed him to return for the rest of the season, but the doubts did not go away.
38 starts, 45 substitute showings and eight goals later, he found himself heading back to the Netherlands in a reported £28 million deal with former youth club Ajax as the London side deemed him surplus to their new requirements.
He more than got his early potential back on track in his two seasons with them, scoring 27 times in 67 starts and eight substitute showings in the league and Europe, but even though he had three years remaining on his deal at the Johan Cruyff Arena, a couple of days ago, he became the latest in a series of well known, higher profile players in European leagues, to take on the Saudi Arabian Pro League adventure with the financial riches and rewards they have been offering to tempt players into taking the plunge.
All that is really known about the deal is that the now 26 year, 35 capped Dutch international, has put pen to paper on a three year deal, but he leaves Ajax as their serving club skipper for only a claimed £17.7 million as he arrives in Al-Ittihad.
Spurs and Ajax fans will have questions of their own here about both the decision, and the fee and wonder if anything should be read into that – PSV fans certainly will be given his original promise as he came through their ranks, but it is safe to say that Dutch gaffer Ronald Koeman is clearly not impressed.
Almost within hours of the move being announced, Koeman said the ‘book is basically’ closed on his international career now, and he strongly indicated that talks had been held with the player about the consequences of such a move, as the 61 year old made a big play about Bergwijn ‘knowing’ his thoughts, that it was the ‘players’ choice, but in his mind ‘the main ambition should be sporting, not financial’.
Atalanta’s Martin de Roon and El-Ettifaq’s Georginio Wijnaldum are also unlikely to be selected in the future, but this will be a fascinating one to watch.