There are two midfield talents in the Vitesse Arnhem team that could become Dutch internationals in the very near future, Davy Propper and Marko Vejinovic.  Davy has already been called-up to the national team in the past and Marko could very well be just a few months away from his first call.

This Vitesse team has utilised a very sensible 4-3-3 formation for the first half of the season and frankly they should have achieved much more than they actually did. The team has some talented, skilful players who pass the ball very well and two of the most impressive of the lot are Davy and Marko says Rion Rodgers.

Marko Veijnovic, 24

Let me start by saying that I think Marko Veijnovic is the “real deal”. This man has everything to play at a much higher level than Vitesse. He is physically strong, has good technique and delivers very accurate set pieces. I particularly love to see his rampaging direct runs through the centre of the park towards the edge of the eighteen yard box. These runs usual culminate with a fierce shot at goal or a deft final pass to a teammate. Eight league goals and five assists so far this season says there is certainly some potential in this guy.

In fact, I see him as Ronald Koeman’s eventual successor for Morgan Schneiderlin. Am I crazy? Why Veijnovic? Why not Clasie? Well, I truly see this guy as having great potential as a strong, quick, smart and technically sound central midfielder. He has been the fulcrum of the Arnhem team’s midfield this season. Marko loves to break up plays in the middle of the field and constantly harasses oppositions using his tall strong frame, much like Morgan does for Southampton. Add his ability to keep the ball quite well to his impressive array of passing and one can see why I think he is made for the Premier League.

It is also worth noting that Marko is a multi-functional player who is very adept at numerous positions. During his Heracles days we saw him played all three midfield positions as well as centre back, full-back and striker.

If there is one flaw in this man’s game, it is that he isn’t the most agile of players. This is potentially due to his physical size. However, it has decidedly not posed too many limitations to his effectiveness.

Davy Propper, 24

Davy Propper is another midfielder with great qualities. He is physically strong, very intelligent, can score great goals and technically sound. This boy was seen as a huge talent in Arnhem before Marco Van Ginkel even broke into a regular first team spot. However, persistent injuries curtailed his rate of progression, while Van Ginkel was making serious strides. Today Van Ginkel is playing at a huge European club, while Davy still plies his trade in the modest confines of Arnhem. Nevertheless, he is on an upward trajectory and will quite possibly make it into one of Europe’s bigger leagues at the end of this Eredivisie season.

There is some amount of debate about what is Davy’s best position. Some people say he is best at the number 10 position, but having watched him since his debut for Vitesse, I am convinced he is more of a box-to-box midfielder. He can certainly do a decent job as a number 10, but his physicality, work rate and passing range makes him quite suitable to play just a little bit ahead of the holding midfielder. I however, believe that If he were a little faster and had better dribbling skills, then he could be a great number 10.

In conclusion, these two blokes will most likely be quite useful for the Dutch National team in the future. To what extent, is hard to say now. The road of a footballer is one made up of a myriad of dips and bends, and sadly some young players do not negotiate their way ahead with the kind of dexterity and determination that is required. One thing is for sure, we should all keep the proverbial eye on these two for the next season or two.

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