The Eredivisie has experienced a goalkeeper ‘triangle-transfer’ this deadline day that began with yesterday’s shock transfer of Kenneth Vermeer leaving Ajax to join bitter rivals Feyenoord in a €700k deal after 14 years at the Amsterdam giants writes Will Burns.
Vermeer was set to spend a season on the bench at Ajax and is now set to compete with Erwin Mulder for the number-one shirt in Rotterdam. The 28-year old has signed a four-year deal but it emerged from the British press last night that he could have ended up with Louis van Gaal at Manchester United.
Van Gaal tried to strike a deal at the end of last week for the Vermeer, however the stopper said he had given his word to Fred Rutten that he was joining Feyenoord. New United boss Van Gaal is a fan of Vermeer, who would provide cover for current first choice keeper David de Gea at the Old Trafford club. It is understood, United discussed the possibility of a Anders Lindegaard plus cash deal, going to Rotterdam to help make the deal happen but Vermeer insisted on completing the move to De Kuip.
On the move, Vermeer said to De Telegraaf: “’It was a chance I had to grab with both hands. I’m grateful to Ajax for 14 fantastic years but I had to put myself first. I want to be playing. And I can do that at Feyenoord”
This controversial transfer has caused three clubs to adjust their goalkeeping options with PEC Zwolle signing Feyenoord’s reserve keeper Warner Hahn on a season-long loan. The Jong Oranje international goalkeeper Hahn signed for the Rotterdam club in the summer on a free transfer from promoted side FC Dordrecht but has yet to make his debut ahead of Mulder. Only 22-years-old, Hahn has time on his side and working under Ron Jans at Zwolle gives him great Eredivisie first-team experience.
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Why PEC Zwolle needed to buy a keeper was due to the fact that Diederik Boer left the club to replace Vermeer at Ajax, as back-up for Dutch international Jasper Cillessen. The 33-year-old will wear the number ‘33’ shirt and signs on a three-year deal.
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