“It was not right for me. I am not going to explain why to anybody except the people I owe an explanation to.” A deal agreed between two clubs, and a player who declined to be part of it.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Cambuur, and it is not being withdrawn.
The last thing about a transfer that is still about the player is his signature on his own terms, and it is there. AZ have lost him in all but the paperwork.
The last thing about a transfer that is still about the player is his signature on his own terms, and it is there. Heracles have lost him in all but the paperwork.
“I listened, I thought about it, and I am staying. That is the whole story.” The clubs had agreed a fee. Yoël van den Ban had not agreed to go, which turned out to be the part that mattered.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Heracles can pretend not to have heard.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what De Graafschap can pretend not to have heard.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Feyenoord is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“I want to win things, and I would like to do it here.” Nothing has been demanded and nothing has been threatened — but a boardroom at PSV hears a sentence like that exactly as it was built.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Roda can pretend not to have heard.
1 assists, 8.66, and a AZ player who spent four weekends being the reason somebody else's name went in the paper. It is the least-rewarded skill in football and the easiest one to notice its absence.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Zwolle they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
The general version of this complaint is that a player wants more. The specific version names the thing: he wants to walk out under floodlights against clubs from other countries, and he has stopped pretending otherwise.
“I have ambitions, and I would like the club to share them.” Nobody has asked to leave and nobody has been shown the door — but a player chooses that sentence carefully, and a boardroom hears it exactly as it was meant.
1 in 1 for Groningen. Nobody outside his own ground is talking about him, which tends to be true of everybody on this list except the man at the top of it.
Everybody in the division was measured and a Twente man came out on top: 7.83 across the month and 5 goal contributions. There is no serious case for anybody else.
Scoring charts1 Apr 2027
Samy Merheg is the month's best young player — 7.72
The award the rest of the division reads as a transfer rumour. 7.72 over the month and 4 goal contributions, from a Heracles player whose price has just gone up without anybody at his club doing anything.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Roda, and it is not being withdrawn.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Groningen they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
3 assists across the month from a Twente player marked 7.83. Somebody has to open the door before anybody walks through it, and nobody in the league opened more.
The chart that catches everybody a goal tally never will: the centre-half who was immense for four weekends, the holding midfielder nobody outside his own ground has heard of. 8.03 across 2 matches for Twente.
“I have ambitions, and I would like the club to share them.” Nobody has asked to leave and nobody has been shown the door — but a player chooses that sentence carefully, and a boardroom hears it exactly as it was meant.
3 in 1 for Feyenoord. Nobody outside his own ground is talking about him, which tends to be true of everybody on this list except the man at the top of it.
3 in 3 for Utrecht. Nobody outside his own ground is talking about him, which tends to be true of everybody on this list except the man at the top of it.
Everybody in the division was measured and a AZ man came out on top: 8.56 across the month and 7 goal contributions. There is no serious case for anybody else.
7.21 across the month and 4 goal contributions from a AZ player everybody else in the division now has a file on. His price rose this month without anybody at his club lifting a finger.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Heerenveen can pretend not to have heard.
The deal that would have taken Wout Weghorst to Utrecht has collapsed at the last stage, and he reports back to Twente with a summer to forget and a season still to play. Nobody is saying which side walked away.
“It was not right for me. I am not going to explain why to anybody except the people I owe an explanation to.” A deal agreed between two clubs, and a player who declined to be part of it.
The last thing about a transfer that is still about the player is his signature on his own terms, and it is there. Willem II have lost him in all but the paperwork.
4 assists across the month from a Ajax player marked 7.96. Somebody has to open the door before anybody walks through it, and nobody in the league opened more.
Nobody in the division bettered it last month: 8 goals in 5 appearances for Heracles.
Scoring charts1 Feb 2027
Naci Ünüvar is the division's player of the month — 8.50
A club's paper reports this as one of its own being honoured. On this page it is what it actually is: a verdict on everybody who played, and it went to a Heracles man on 8.50 with 8 goal contributions.
7.59 across the month and 5 goal contributions from a Ajax player everybody else in the division now has a file on. His price rose this month without anybody at his club lifting a finger.
The offer from Union Berlin for Youri Baas was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
The clubs have settled the fee and he has settled his wages. What remains is a medical and a photograph, and around Feyenoord people have started saying his name in the past tense.
The chart that decides who the scorers ought to be thanking. 5 of them made by a Utrecht player marked 7.49, and not one will be in the montage at the end of the season.
“It was not right for me. I am not going to explain why to anybody except the people I owe an explanation to.” A deal agreed between two clubs, and a player who declined to be part of it.
Scoring charts1 Feb 2027
Highest marks in the league belong to a Heracles man
Naci Ünüvar averaged 8.50 over 5 appearances. Nothing about that will trend, and anybody who watched all four games would tell you it was the most accurate thing on this page.
Marked 8.49 across it, 9 goals and assists between them, and no serious argument from anybody else in the division. Ajax have had the whole benefit of a month somebody else will spend the summer trying to buy.
Scoring charts1 Jan 2027
The division's brightest kid this month plays for Ajax
Rayane Bounida was marked 7.48 and had a hand in 4 goals. Every recruitment department in the country now has a file open, and the club that has him knows exactly what that means.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Roda, and it is not being withdrawn.
4 assists across the month from a Groningen player marked 7.63. Somebody has to open the door before anybody walks through it, and nobody in the league opened more.
Scoring charts1 Jan 2027
Marius Broholm is the division's best-marked player — 8.75
The chart that catches everybody a goal tally never will: the centre-half who was immense for four weekends, the holding midfielder nobody outside his own ground has heard of. 8.75 across 4 matches for Utrecht.
It is not a grievance and it is not a demand: he wants to play continental football, and he has stopped hiding it. Whether Twente can give him that is a question about the club, not about him.
“I want to win things, and I would like to do it here.” Nothing has been demanded and nothing has been threatened — but a boardroom at Feyenoord hears a sentence like that exactly as it was built.
Everybody in the division was measured and a Twente man came out on top: 8.41 across the month and 8 goal contributions. There is no serious case for anybody else.
8.04 across the month and 5 goal contributions from a Utrecht player everybody else in the division now has a file on. His price rose this month without anybody at his club lifting a finger.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at De Graafschap, and it is not being withdrawn.
3 assists across the month from a Feyenoord player marked 7.63. Somebody has to open the door before anybody walks through it, and nobody in the league opened more.
Scoring charts1 Dec 2026
Mihai Nita is the division's best-marked player — 9.50
The chart that catches everybody a goal tally never will: the centre-half who was immense for four weekends, the holding midfielder nobody outside his own ground has heard of. 9.50 across 2 matches for AZ.
“I want to win things, and I would like to do it here.” Nothing has been demanded and nothing has been threatened — but a boardroom at AZ hears a sentence like that exactly as it was built.
“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Zwolle has been clear about where Guus Joppen stands, which is more than many ever get.
Everybody in the division was measured and a Willem II man came out on top: 7.88 across the month and 3 goal contributions. There is no serious case for anybody else.
7.88 across the month and 3 goal contributions from a Willem II player everybody else in the division now has a file on. His price rose this month without anybody at his club lifting a finger.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Cambuur, and it is not being withdrawn.
The chart that decides who the scorers ought to be thanking. 4 of them made by a Feyenoord player marked 7.32, and not one will be in the montage at the end of the season.
Scoring charts1 Nov 2026
Highest marks in the league belong to a Feyenoord man
Raheem Sterling averaged 8.04 over 3 appearances. Nothing about that will trend, and anybody who watched all four games would tell you it was the most accurate thing on this page.
The general version of this complaint is that a player wants more. The specific version names the thing: he wants to walk out under floodlights against clubs from other countries, and he has stopped pretending otherwise.
“I have ambitions, and I would like the club to share them.” Nobody has asked to leave and nobody has been shown the door — but a player chooses that sentence carefully, and a boardroom hears it exactly as it was meant.
3 in 4 for Willem II. Nobody outside his own ground is talking about him, which tends to be true of everybody on this list except the man at the top of it.
Nobody in the division bettered it last month: 6 goals in 4 appearances for PSV.
Scoring charts1 Oct 2026
Ivan Perišić is the division's player of the month — 8.00
A club's paper reports this as one of its own being honoured. On this page it is what it actually is: a verdict on everybody who played, and it went to a PSV man on 8.00 with 7 goal contributions.
The award the rest of the division reads as a transfer rumour. 7.54 over the month and 5 goal contributions, from a Ajax player whose price has just gone up without anybody at his club doing anything.
“I listened, I thought about it, and I am staying. That is the whole story.” The clubs had agreed a fee. Bernt Klaverboer had not agreed to go, which turned out to be the part that mattered.
6 assists across the month from a Utrecht player marked 7.63. Somebody has to open the door before anybody walks through it, and nobody in the league opened more.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Heracles can pretend not to have heard.
The chart that catches everybody a goal tally never will: the centre-half who was immense for four weekends, the holding midfielder nobody outside his own ground has heard of. 8.45 across 2 matches for Ajax.
“I want to win things, and I would like to do it here.” Nothing has been demanded and nothing has been threatened — but a boardroom at PSV hears a sentence like that exactly as it was built.
4 in 4 for Twente. Nobody outside his own ground is talking about him, which tends to be true of everybody on this list except the man at the top of it.
Marked 7.71 across it, 6 goals and assists between them, and no serious argument from anybody else in the division. Ajax have had the whole benefit of a month somebody else will spend the summer trying to buy.
Scoring charts1 Sep 2026
The division's brightest kid this month plays for Ajax
Rayane Bounida was marked 7.71 and had a hand in 6 goals. Every recruitment department in the country now has a file open, and the club that has him knows exactly what that means.
The offer from Twente for Guus Til was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Ajax can pretend not to have heard.
The clubs have settled the fee and he has settled his wages. What remains is a medical and a photograph, and around Ajax people have started saying his name in the past tense.
“I listened, I thought about it, and I am staying. That is the whole story.” The clubs had agreed a fee. Thomas Bruns had not agreed to go, which turned out to be the part that mattered.
3 assists, 7.91, and a Groningen player who spent four weekends being the reason somebody else's name went in the paper. It is the least-rewarded skill in football and the easiest one to notice its absence.