PSV Eindhoven are in a race against the clock complete the signing of NEC Nijmegen midfielder Kodai Sano before the first match of the Dutch league season after the clubs agreed a fee of €14.5 million, a record sale for the Nijmegen club.
The deal left a bitter aftertaste at NEC after the player, who was instrumental in the club’s third-place finish last year, pulled out of the squad for the midweek Champions League match against Olympiakos despite travelling to Greece.
Director of football Carlos Aalbers said the 22-year-old was sent home from the team hotel because “agreements were breached”. “Sano didn’t want to play and we didn’t want a player in the team who didn’t want to play,” he said.
The champions could be set to offload striker Couhaib Driouech to Rangers before the end of the transfer window. Dutch media report that the two clubs have agreed a price of around €8 million for the 24-year-old Morocco international, but no formal bid has been tabled.
PSV are also believed to be close to completing the signing of Serbian international Filip Kostic, who spent two seasons at Groningen earlier in his career. The arrival of the 33-year-old has fuelled speculation that Croatian veteran Ivan Perisic is on his way out of Eindhoven, most likely to join Inter Milan.
Reserve goalkeeper Joël Drommel is leaving PSV after five years, returning to Twente, the club where he made his professional debut in 2015. “It feels like coming home,” said Drommel, who spent last season on loan at Sparta.
Tadic returns
Another Serbian veteran, former Ajax striker Dusan Tadic, is back in the Netherlands after joining NEC Nijmegen on a three-year contract. “The Netherlands is my second home,” said the 37-year-old, who has also played for Groningen and Twente.
Feyenoord look set to hang on to 20-year-old defender Givairo Read after turning down bids from AS Roma and Nottingham Forest.
Neither club was prepared to match the asking price of €25 million plus €4 million in bonuses for Read, whose current contract runs to 2029.
The Rotterdammers and PSV both want to sign former Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida from RB Leipzig, but neither club is willing to match the Bundesliga club’s €20 million asking price. Leipzig also say they are not interested in a loan deal.
Ajax loan signings
The biggest name to join Ajax so far under new head coach Míchel is goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who is joining from Barcelona on a season-long loan.
The 34-year-old, who won the Champions League and seven La Liga titles with the Catalan side, spent part of last season on loan at Girona, Míchel’s previous club. “When I first spoke with Jordi Cruyff, I immediately felt it was the right option,” he said.
Another experienced German moving to Amsterdam is 30-year-old midfielder Julian Brandt, who arrives on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund.
The Amsterdammers are believed to be in contact with Napoli about bringing Noa Lang back to the club if, as expected, Belgian striker Mika Godts leaves for Paris Saint-Germain before the end of the month. The clubs are understood to be negotiating a five-year deal, but PSG are haggling over Ajax’s €60 million price tag.
Torrents as cover
Ajax have also signed 19-year-old midfielder Jofre Torrents on loan from Barcelona as possible cover for Owen Wijndal, who is rumoured to be seeking a move out of Amsterdam. If Wijndal stays Torrents is likely to turn out for the youth team in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.
Midfielder Kian Fitz-Jim is definitely leaving Amsterdam after Ajax agreed to sell the 23-year-old, who spent part of last season on loan at Excelsior, to Torino.
Calvin Stengs is back at AZ Alkmaar after four years, after being released from his contract at Feyenoord, while Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott is said to be considering a move from Alkmaar to English Championship with West Ham United.
Elsewhere in the Eredivisie, Excelsior have signed 20-year-old striker Aymen Sliti on loan from city neighbours Feyenoord.
Swedes at Groningen
Groningen have signed 18-year-old Swedish midfielder Alvin Nordin from Helsingborgs on a four-year deal. Nordin played 28 first-teammatches for the Swedish club after making his debut at 16. Another Swede, defender Malcolm Jeng, is moving to the Euroborg on loan from Stade de Reims.
The northerners have also turned down a bid from AZ for striker Thom van Bergen. “We’ve made it clear Thom is not for sale,” managing director Frank van Mosselveld told RTV Noord.
Newly promoted Willem II have acquired 29-year-old midfielder Hidde ter Avest from English third-tier side Oxford United.
Telstar have strengthened their midfield with the signing of 20-year-old Harrie Kuster from Twente, 20-year-old Isiah Ahmed from Heerenveen and 23-year-old Gabi Caschili, who was released by Cambuur Leeuwarden a year ago after he was involved in a brawl during an amateur match.
