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Player Watch - Steven Bergwijn signs for Ajax

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
Got to wonder if this was the kind of player Poch was turning down if we have indeed been scouting him for a couple of seasons. Not having a dig btw. Just curious.
 

C0YS

Just another member
Jul 9, 2007
12,780
13,817
This Traore band-wagon is weird. He's only just starting to fulfill some of his promise but he is nowhere near as good as some of you are making out. In the worst Prem competition in donkey's years he's got as many assists as Son - who doesn't even pass. Definitely going through a decent purple patch mind. About time he had his first one, at 24.
So that is in the joint 3rd position for assists, only behind De Bruyne and TAA
 

C0YS

Just another member
Jul 9, 2007
12,780
13,817
Mate I understand not wanting to overhype potential signings and how it can be disappointing in retrospect. I get it.

But the argument isn't really based on much besides pointing out other signings from the Eredivisie that didn’t work out. I can just as easily point out the opposite by noting Suarez, Eriksen, RVP, Van Nistelrooy, VDV, Bergkamp, and Robben all were Eredivisie players who made it in the Prem.

Some signings work out, some don‘t. But very rarely is because there’s some kind of precedent that pointed to their failure in advance. Torres was the best striker in the league at Liverpool and flopped at Chelsea, so should we turn down Mane, Firmino, or Saleh?
Yeh we agree. The players I was giving as examples were not chosen by me, they were simply every player who finished among to top scorers who has played outside of that division. But we are in full on agreement. There are a lot of very good players that come from that league. It is just that stats don´t mean much in holland. Performances and analysing them do.
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
Been reading a little bit on a PSV forum and they don't seem too devastated. Sounds like they are in a bit of a mess as a team, without leadership etc so they don't really blame him for wanting to leave. Based on what we paid for Janssen they seem to think that 40-50m is fair for Bergwijn, whilst at the same time acknowledging that they will never get that much for him.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,389
Been reading a little bit on a PSV forum and they don't seem too devastated. Sounds like they are in a bit of a mess as a team, without leadership etc so they don't really blame him for wanting to leave. Based on what we paid for Janssen they seem to think that 40-50m is fair for Bergwijn, whilst at the same time acknowledging that they will never get that much for him.

Don't think you should base anything on what we paid for Janssen.
 

taricco

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
540
2,084
Bergwijn is the sort of signing that the likes of Leicester, Wolves or Bournemouth make at the price which is currently offered to us, goes on to perform well for them, leaving us watching and wondering "Why didn't we go for him at that price?"

I am for one excited to see him on board.

This is spot on.

We aren't going to compete consistently with City/Liverpool/Chelsea/United when it comes to paying to top fee/wages for the top players. We just aren't. Instead, we've got to be best in class at this type of signing. Signings that aren't at the peak of their ability today, but who have bags of potential. It's how we've got to where we are today, and lack of this type of signing in the last few years is why we are struggling against the likes of Leicester/Wolves. Can't wait for a few more of these!
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
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I am surprised the fees aren’t being quoted closer to what Napoli paid for Lozano which was over 40million.
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
I'm a big Traore fan and have been banging his drum for a while, but i think it's unfair to make a direct comparison between these two. Traore is much quicker, more direct and probably scares teams more but Bergwijn is the more well-rounded player. Decent pace, decent dribbling ability, better vision etc. That's not to say he's 'necessarily better' but those expecting a Traore-type player will be surprised.

The comparison to Zaha above isn't bad. This lad is a smoother Zaha in my view.

Has the potential to be a lot better than Zaha imo. All up to him now.
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
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His holdup skills are going to be such a benefit over Lucas. Will save us a lot in possession and helping out the defense being able to give Bergwijn the ball and trusting that he can hold onto it and let us move up the pitch as a team rather than open us up to counter attacks.
 

McArchibald

Well-Known Member
Jun 6, 2010
1,280
5,579
I am surprised the fees aren’t being quoted closer to what Napoli paid for Lozano which was over 40million.
PSV rejected a bid of around 35m from Sevilla last summer as insufficient. They were obviously banking on getting a bigger fee this year after the Euro's.
But now Bergwijn himself is forcing the issue. He is desperate to get out asap, because PSV sacked coach Mark van Bommel, with whom he was very close, and he's become disillusioned with the lack of quality and passion displayed by his team-mates..
These are the circumstances that can tempt Daniel Levy to come out of the shadows and move in for the kill... ;)
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
His holdup skills are going to be such a benefit over Lucas. Will save us a lot in possession and helping out the defense being able to give Bergwijn the ball and trusting that he can hold onto it and let us move up the pitch as a team rather than open us up to counter attacks.
Yeah, so much of our play breaks down because of Lucas. He'll have the odd moment of magic and isn't a bad finisher, but runs down so many blind alleys and his passing is average. Son, who is a far better player, and Alli are also guilty of giving the ball away cheaply and with all of them on the pitch our ball retention is terrible at times. Bergwijn would surely be an improvement in this area.

He also looks decent out wide unlike Lucas who, despite being incredibly quick is somehow quite shit on the wings and a lot better when making runs though the middle of the park. Having another proper wide player with pace and the ability to pick a pass would work wonders for the balance of the side.
 

C0YS

Just another member
Jul 9, 2007
12,780
13,817
I am surprised the fees aren’t being quoted closer to what Napoli paid for Lozano which was over 40million.
Lozano was always considered the bigger talent so makes sense. Having said that who knows who will adapt better to a bigger league.
 
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mansfield

Member
Jun 14, 2007
99
55
Shouldn't go unnoticed that he's quite big and will have a bigger physical presence in both penalty areas.
 
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