Busy football transfer season in the Netherlands; 661 transfers this summer

Dutch football clubs traded more players this summer than last year. A few hours after the closing of the transfer season in the Netherlands, the football association KNVB reported that 661 transfers had taken place. Last year, the KNVB recorded 609 transfers in the summer, making it the quietest summer since 2016, when there were 582.

Of the transfers, 227 happened between Dutch clubs. Strikingly, exactly as many players left for abroad as came to the Netherlands from another country - 217. However, the number of players leaving on Thursday can still increase. In England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France, the transfer market is open one day longer than in the Netherlands. In Belgium, Turkey, and Russia, among others, the transfer market is open for another week.

Cody Gakpo, for example, could not yet say whether he would be leaving PSV. “There will be more clarity in the coming hours,” he told ESPN after PSV beat Volendam 7-1 on Wednesday evening. “The decision has not yet been made. It is indeed not an ideal situation, not for the club and not for me. A lot has happened. I will look very closely now at what is best for me.” Reportedly, Southampton, in particular, is still in the market for the international.

Two years ago, there were also 661 transfers in the Netherlands. 2019 holds the record for the most transfers when Dutch clubs bought or sold 670 players.

According to the KNVB, the first transfer of the summer was goalkeeper Joey Koorevaar, who transferred for free from FC Dordrecht to Sparta Rotterdam. The last of the 39 transfers recorded on “deadline day” was the Dane Eskild Dall. The 19-year-old Danish attacker had his contract with Ajax dissolved and switched to Brøndby IF. But more outgoing transfers could still happen on Thursday.

The top clubs Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord, were particularly active this summer. National champion Ajax sold more than 220 million euros worth of players and spent more than 100 million euros. The most notable transfer is that of Antony to Manchester United. The Brazilian moved to England for 95 million euros, plus 5 million in potential bonuses, making him the most expensive transfer in Eredivisie history.

On the last day of the transfer period, Ajax hired Argentinian Lucas Ocampos to replace Antony. The Amsterdam team is renting the Argentine attacker from Sevilla until the end of the season, with an option to buy. Ajax wanted to buy Ocampos, but the club’s supervisory board did not agree with the transfer fee of 20 million euros.

Although the transfer period is now closed, Dutch teams can still sign players who do not have a club.