Author: Tarcísio Neri

by Tarcísio Neri

Almere City FC announce signing of Christopher Mamengi

After nine seasons wearing the FC Utrecht shirt, Christopher Mamengi leaves the Utregs and signs for three seasons with Almere City FC for the Eredivisie dispute. The Dutch defender, born in Amersfoort, will try his luck at the newly promoted club to the elite of Dutch football.

At FC Utrecht, Christopher Mamengi was unable to establish himself in the first team and accepted an offer from Zwarte Schapen to compete in the biggest competition in Dutch football. In the first team of FC Utrecht, Christopher Mamengi played only one game.

Christopher Mamengi is the fifth player to leave FC Utrecht and sign with Almere City FC in their history. He rounds out the roster with players like Jonas Arweiler, Gianluca Nijholt, Enzio Boldewijn and Leon de Kogel. The most recent player to have made this move was Jonas Arweiler who in the 2021/22 season left Stadion Galgenwaard to play at Yanmar Stadion.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Chuba Akpom signs with Ajax for five seasons

Sven Mislintat is still working to reshape AFC Ajax for this new season. The German director got a deal with Middlesbrough and the Amsterdam club announced the signing of Chuba Akpom. The English striker signs for five seasons with the Godenzonen. The Godenzonen paid 12 million and 300 thousand euros to have the 27-year-old striker.

Chuba Akpom was the main striker of the second division of England and consequently of Middlesbrough. With Boro’s shirt, Chuba Akpom scored 34 goals in 82 matches. It was at PAOK in Greece that he had the greatest streak of games. In Greece, there were 131 games played and 29 goals scored.

Formed in the youth ranks of Arsenal, he had only twelve games signed with the shirt of the Gunners. As well as playing in England and Greece, he also played in Belgium for St. Truiden.

The last time Middlesbrough had sold a player to Ajax was in the 2010/11 season when Egypt striker Mido was released to sign for Ajacieden. And this is only the third English player to wear the shirt of the Amsterdammers. Charlie Setford and Ray Clarke were the other two players who previously played for the Amsterdam side.

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by Tarcísio Neri

PSV buys Jerdy Schouten for twelve million euros

PSV Eindhoven continues to reinforce its team for this new season and mainly to seek a place in the group stage of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League. The new reinforcement that lands in Eindhoven is the steering wheel, Jerdy Schouten. The 26-year-old Dutch midfielder leaves Italy’s Bologna for 12 million euros. Jerdy Schouten returns to Dutch football after spending four years in Italy.

In Italy, Jerdy Schouten managed to develop very well. He played over a hundred games for Bologna and scored only two goals. It was in Italy that he managed to be called up by the Dutch national team. Jerdy Schouten was revealed by ADO Den Haag and also played for SC Telstar. This is the first time that PSV has bought a player from Bologna in Italy.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Sven Zitman leaves PEC Zwolle and signs with TOP Oss

TOP Oss announced the signing of Sven Zitman from PEC Zwolle. He signs until the end of the 2024/25 season with Ossenaren and with the option of automatic renewal for another season. The expectation is that already in this weekend’s round, he can enter the field for TOP Oss.

The 21-year-old midfielder was at PEC Zwolle last season and has a contract with the Blauwvingers until the end of next season. The Zwollenaars had already informed the athlete that they would no longer count on him for the sequence of the season.

“We are extremely happy with the arrival of Sven Zitman. He will bring great strength to our team in pursuit of our goals throughout this season. He is technically very experienced and able to read the game well” said TOP Oss director of football Linton Posthumus.

“I am very happy to sign with TOP Oss. I hope to get on the field as soon as possible and I want to help TOP Oss to seek access to the Eredivisie” said Sven Zitman.

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by Tarcísio Neri

FC Twente announces reinforcement for the defensive system

FC Twente have announced the signing of Alec Van Hoorenbeeck. The 24-year-old defender stays until the end of this current season and should return to KV Mechelen in Belgium, the club to which he belongs. This is his return to the Netherlands, considering that in the 2020/21 season, Alec Van Hoorenbeeck was loaned to Helmond Sport of the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

With the shirt of KV Mechelen, he played 55 games and did not score a single goal. At Helmond Sport, he played 39 games and scored three goals. He joins FC Twente with an option to buy at the end of his loan.

“We had been looking for a defender to play on the left for some time and with the arrival of Alec Van Hoorenbeeck we filled that gap. He also plays as a left winger. Alec Van Hoorenbeeck is comfortable with the ball at his feet, is quick and has good stature. We are sure that he will quickly adapt to the club and to Dutch football” said FC Twente Director Arnold Bruggink.

The last time FC Twente had a Belgian in its squad was between 2017 and 2020, when Jorn Brondeel left Belgium’s Lierse SK and played only 21 games during that period. In August 2020, he was released and signed for Willem II. And the last time KV Mechelen sent a player to FC Twente was in the 1999/00 season, when Jan Verlinden was sold to the Enschede club.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Roy Kuijpers is the new signing of NAC Breda

After a year and a half defending the colors of RKC Waalwijk, Roy Kuijpers leaves the Mandemakers Stadion to sign with NAC Breda and return to compete in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. At the age of 23, Roy Kuijpers signs until the end of the 2024/25 season, with the option of automatic renewal for another season.

In that one and a half year with the Waalwijkers shirt, Roy Kuijpers played 31 games and scored three goals. Furthermore, he was part of the squad that kept RKC Waalwijk in the Eredivisie during these last two seasons.

Before arriving at RKC Waalwijk, Roy Kuijpers was featured with FC Den Bosch in the Dutch second division. He also played 31 games for the White and Blue Dragons and scored twelve goals.

The last player who made this move to leave RKC Waalwijk and sign with NAC Breda was the German center forward Mario Bilate in the 2020/21 season.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Nathan Tjoe-A-On leaves SBV Excelsior

Swansea City have completed the signing of Nathan Tjoe-A-On for €348,000. He will still go through work and visa approval. The 21-year-old joins Swansea City from SBV Excelsior and signs a three-year contract with the England second-tier side. He will wear the number 21 shirt at Swansea City.

Nathan Tjoe-A-On was brought up through the youth ranks of SBV Excelsior and made his Kralingers first-team debut in 2019. He was instrumental in helping SBV Excelsior return to the Eredivisie, after all, in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie 2021/22 , he was an absolute starter for the Rotterdam club.

With the shirt of SBV Excelsior, Nathan Tjoe-A-On made 57 official matches for the main team and scored just one goal. This will be his first experience away from the SBV Excelsior and away from Holland.

At Swansea City, he will be team-mates with Joël Piroe. The Wales club is a team famous for betting on Dutch players. Erwin Mulder, Mike van der Hoorn, Luciano Narsingh, Leroy Fer, Jonathan de Guzmán, Dwight Tiendalli, Michel Vorm, Marvin Emnes, Cedric van der Gun, Ferrie Bodde, Dorus de Vries, Nico Schröder and Kees de Boer were the Dutch wore the Swansea City jersey throughout the team’s history.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Mica Pinto signs with Vitesse

After announcing the departure of Maximilian Wittek for football in Germany, Vitesse announced the signing of Mica Pinto. The 30-year-old left-back did not renew his contract with Sparta Rotterdam and was free on the market. With the Arnhemmers, Mica Pinto signed a two-year contract.

“Mica Pinto was our first choice after Maximilian Wittek left. He is a builder full back, with excellent physical conditioning and an excellent passing quality. He is a group athlete. He knows the Eredivisie very well and will be a key player in helping us achieve our goals throughout this season,” said Vitesse director of football Benjamin Schmedes.

“I have already played against Vitesse several times and now I am very proud to wear the shirt of this important club. After a few successful seasons with Sparta Rotterdam, this was a step I wanted to take. I had good conversations with the club officials and with the coach, Phillip Cocu. I am extremely anxious to start wearing the Vitesse shirt. I will deliver everything on the pitch for the club” said Mica Pinto.

With Sparta Rotterdam’s shirt, Mica Pinto reached the milestone of 90 matches played and four goals scored. He also played for Fortuna Sittard and played 50 games with just one goal scored. In the Eredivisie alone, he has played 120 matches. He is an athlete with a lot of experience in Dutch football.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Alen Halilović signs for one season with Fortuna Sittard

Fortuna Sittard announced the signing of Alen Halilović. The 27-year-old is signed until the end of next season with the option of an automatic renewal for two more seasons. Alen Halilović was in Croatia, where he was defending the colors of HNK Rijeka.

This will not be the first time that Alen Halilović has played in the Netherlands. In the 2019/20 season he played for SC Heerenveen and played 20 competitive games for the Fries and scored just one goal. After that he was released by AC Milan and played with Birmingham City and Reading in England.

Alen Halilović returns to the Netherlands, looking to rediscover the good football he played when he played for SC Heerenveen.
“It’s good to be back in Holland. I spoke to some friends who play for Fortuna Sittard and they were very excited about the club’s goals for the future. I’m really looking forward to starting playing for Fortuna Sittard and meeting all my new club mates” said Alen Halilović.

“Alen Halilović has always been recognized as having great potential and we believe that this potential and quality that he has is within him and we want to give him the opportunity to get all of that out. We believe we have the right conditions for him to be happy here with us and play at the highest level” said Américo Branco, director of football at Fortuna Sittard.

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by Tarcísio Neri

Zico Buurmeester renews with AZ Alkmaar and is loaned to PEC Zwolle

PEC Zwolle announced the signing of Zico Buurmeester for just one season. The 21-year-old will have his first professional experience away from the AFAS Stadion. To sign with the Blauwvingers, Zico Buurmeester needed to renew his contract until the end of the 2025/2026 season.

Valued at €550,000, Zico Buurmeester played 81 games and scored 12 goals for Jong AZ Alkmaar. In the first team of AZ Alkmaar, Zico Buurmeester played only nine games and scored one goal.

Born in Egmond aan den Hoef, province of North Holland, the village is part of the city of Bergen and is approximately seven kilometers from Alkmaar. The arrival of Zico Buurmeester at PEC Zwolle is to compensate for the departure of Thomas van den Belt.

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