Dutch players to sign on FM23

This post comes from Football Manager community legend Guido Merry of Strikerless.com. Today he shares with us 5 Dutch players to sign on FM23.

Daniel came up to me about a week or so ago and presented the idea for this article. He asked me to identify five Dutch players that are now playing in the Eredivisie and who merit more of your attention in Football Manager, yet who are not that well known or recognized. I decided to accept this challenge and looked over the players on my shortlist to see if I could unearth any gems. The next step was to reduce the number of candidates on the shortlist to a level that was more workable. Every player who had senior caps was eliminated, as was every established star from earlier iterations of the game. After going through that process of whittling down the number candidates one by one, I arrived at the ultimate selection by taking into account their respective teams. I could have prepared a list consisting only of players from Ajax, but I believed that a list with a more even dispersion would be more interesting and relevant to the topic at hand. Therefore, without further ado, I will introduce to you five players from the Eredivisie that you may or may not be familiar with, but who you should make an effort to become familiar with.

 

Quinten Timber, Feyenoord, 21 years old, DM/MC

Quinten Timber is much more than merely the “other” twin to Ajax’s Jurrin Timber, as he combines a variety of skills to create a game that is both one of a kind and extremely dangerous. First, he is at his absolute best when he has possession of the ball, preferably inside the territory of the opponent. It is in this area that his passing range and technique are displayed to their greatest potential. Encouragement can be drawn from the fact that he combines true creative threat with security by being sound defensively. Timber is a team that, for the most part, is more destructive than progressive, but they offer an attractive all-round profile in the middle of the field.

Jason van Duiven, PSV, 17 years old, SC

I am genuinely very excited about the prospects of Jason van Duiven. At the tender age of 17, he already looks good enough to hold down a spot in the starting line-up for most bottom-half Eredivisie sides. Van Duiven is a decent all-round forward and while he is not much of an aerial threat, he more than makes up for this deficiency with his positional awareness, basic skills and otherwise well-rounded physical profile. With the right training and mentoring, this young man could turn into a monster of a forward.

Silvano Vos, Ajax, 17 years old, DM/MC

Silvano Vos is a dynamic midfielder who can play either as a box-to-box midfielder or in a more controlling role as a holding midfielder. Both of these roles are considered to be in the holding midfielder category. Vos’s physical size and power are impressive for someone of his age, especially considering how young he is. When you combine this physical prowess with great mental and technical ability, you have a player who appears to be an excellent fit for a counterpressing side. This player is equally comfortable with closing down opposing players as well as successfully linking up the team’s midfield and attack.

Xavi Simons, PSV, 19 years old, MC/AM(RLC)/ST(RL)

Xavi Simons is probably the most established name on this list. Ever since he was a child, when he was still in Barcelona’s La Masia junior program and another Xavi was still starring for the club’s senior team, the Dutchman with the curly hair has been the target of the internet hype machine. This has been the case ever since he played for Barcelona. It’s not hard to see why. The diminutive playmaker has been on the fringes of the national team lately, as he offers a versatile and creative option to his manager at club level. Whether he plays in central midfield, attacking midfield or out wide, Simons is a mobile and creative player with the skillset to dribble past most defenders and find passing options for himself as well as take a crack at goal. 

Million Manhoef, Vitesse, 20 years old, D/WB/M(RL)/AMR

Modern football require players to be versatile if they to make it. The primary reason for the need for a player to be versatile is the pragmatic nature of modern football. Formations and styles are constantly evolving and a versatile player provides his manager with greater flexibility while making his substitutions or changing his style during a match. Million Manhoef offers all that. A bit of a jack-of-all-trades on the flanks, he is equally adept at attacking and defensive roles out wide. With some more specialised training, you can turn him into a valuable asset.

Thanks to Guido for these great recommendations. If you would be interested in writing on our site please contact [email protected]