Reported Rangers target Joey Veerman has bitten back at his international disappointment with the Netherlands to earn a special Eredivisie accolade this week.
Big things are expected of the talented Heerenveen playmaker, 22, and Veerman has been extensively linked with a move from the Abe Lenstra Stadion this summer.
The player himself has made no bones about his desire to move with Rangers, Atalanta, Verona, Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord all linked to the player at one stage.
But Heerenveen remain determined to rake in around £8m for Joey who has three years left on his contract.
Despite his burgeoning reputation, the talented Veerman was left out of Louis van Gaal’s first provisional 23-man squad for the Netherlands but this weekend responded in style.
Joey played the full 90 minutes for Heerenveen in their opening day 1-0 Eredivisie win over Go Ahead Eagles to show van Gaal and co exactly what they’re missing.
The midfielder’s performance even earned him a place in the Eredivisie’s Team of the Week.
The midfielder pulled in an impressive 8.7 rating with Sofa Score and in doing so pipped a range of players who beat him to the Netherlands squad in the process.
Former Barca, Man Utd, Bayern Munich and Holland boss van Gaal was reinstated into the Dutch hotseat after ex-Ger Frank de Boer’s disappointing spell in charge at Euro 2020.
Donny van de Beek, Ryan Gravenberch, Siem de Jong, Davy Klassen, Teun Koopmeiners, Martin de Roon, Guus Til and Gini Wijnaldum make up a competitive midfield.
Whilst Ajax talent Ryan Gravenberch made the Eredivisie Team of the Week, the likes of Davy Klassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ) and Guus Til (Feyenoord, on loan from Spartak Moscow who signed him for £16m) were all overlooked despite being involved in the opening day weekend of the Dutch top flight.
Veerman is certainly showing van Gaal what he’s missing but in earning a spot in this competitive midfield TOTW the playmaker is also showing what all the fuss is about.
Rangers have been extensively linked with a £7m move for the midfielder but interest in a deal elsewhere is said to have put a move on the “back burner”.
