At the age of twenty six years old, FC Groningen playmaker, Tjaronn Chery could be classified as a late bloomer, but this season the diminutive player has put in the performances that have rendered him one of the stars of the season writes Rion Rodgers.

Chery is a playmaker that arguably is at his best when operating as a free roaming number 10. This season he has operated both as a number 10 and as a winger for Groningen, but he has impressed in both positions. Chery is a typical Dutch playmaker with quick feet, good dribbles and a fierce striker of the ball. He is a good goal scorer and a set-piece specialist. At this stage in the season, Chery has already won the KNVB Beker and at the end of match day 32 in the Eredivisie, he has a record of fourteen goals and five assists. This piece of statistic thrusts him firmly into the spot of top goal-scoring midfielder in the Eredivisie. His nearest rival, PSV Eindhoven’s Georginio Wijnaldum is on thirteen goals.

We are accustomed to hearing a lot about the talent of Hakim Ziyech as a good number 10, but Chery is arguably having an even more impressive personal season. The shiny maiden Dutch Cup title that he won with his club earlier this month is a poignant example of the stellar season he is experiencing. It is also worth noting that with two more league games set go before the conclusion of the current season, Chery could still very well increase his goal scoring and assists records even further.

Having began his career with FC Twente in 2008 and making his official debut for the club in October 2008, he has taken a long road to the height he has displayed this season. Following his debut for FC Twente he was sent out on loan to SC Cambuur Leeuwarden. That first loan spell was followed by spells with RBC Roosendaal and FC Emmen, over a period of two years. At the beginning of the 2011 – 2012 season, Chery made the move to ADO Den Haag in the West of the Netherlands. He played in The Hague for two seasons where his outstanding and eye-catching performances lead to an initial loan move to the Northern club, FC Groningen, for the entirety of last season and a permanent move at the beginning of this season.

When one considers his current age as well as the fact that he is on the verge of concluding his second impressive season with FC Groningen, it looks like now is the ideal time for him to be seeking to venture abroad. But where? Turkish giants Galatasaray, has been linked with showing an interest in signing him recently, but a move to the English Premier League could possibly be better for his career. Southampton, Everton or Newcastle United could all fit his style of play.

However, it should be noted that there seems to be a lot of mixed opinions about how good Chery really is. The view of many may vary, but I am quite convinced that Chery has the quality to play admirably in a mid-table English, German or Spanish club. Undeniably, my first choice would be Southampton. The obvious link with a Dutch coach and the team’s style of play are my main reasons for choosing the home of the St. Mary’s Stadium. There would also be a possibility of him linking up with a few more Dutch players who will quite imminently make the move to the Saints this upcoming transfer window.

It must be said also that there is a strong case for Chery to be given a call by Mr. Guus Hiddink. Wesley Sneijder could do with a decent goal scoring backup. I would however, agree with many other fans that players such as Adam Maher, Hakim Ziyech, Davy Klaassen and Georginio Wijnaldum seem to be the most likely candidates for the number 10 position in the near future. But if Chery makes the move to a big European league and turns on the style successfully, we could see him eclipse the likes of Davy Klaassen, Hakim Ziyech, Adam Maher, Jonathan De Guzman and even Ibrahim Afellay, for the back-up number 10 position in the Oranje.

Many Eredivisie players have performed tremendously so far this season and will deservedly entice numerous big foreign clubs to make advances and wave large sums of cash in their directions. Tjaronn Chery should no doubt be towards the forefront of that group of stars.

Click on Rion’s name above to follow him on Twitter