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Feyenoord paid two million euros to bring Bart Nieuwkoop back from Union Sint-Gillis. Feyenoord thus anticipates a possible departure of Lutsharel Geertruida to RB Leipzig. A transfer that was almost complete, but eventually collapsed. Due to the arrival of Nieuwkoop, the presence of Marcus Pedersen and the canceled transfer of Geertruida, Arne Slot has a special situation in the defense: “But in the end it ensures that the situation is now just top club worthy.”
Feyenoord enters the Eredivisie with three top club-worthy right backs. For a long time it seemed that Geertruida would make the switch to the Bundesliga for about thirty million euros, but the defender is still in De Kuip. At the closing press conference prior to the first league match against Fortuna Sittard, Slot explains that Geertruida is handling the situation well. “Can I count on you?” I asked, says Slot. “He has responded in a good way. There is not a single dissatisfaction visible on the field, he does not show it. He even says that he loves playing for Feyenoord.”
We were convinced that Lutsharel would leave
– Arne Slot on the arrival of Bart Nieuwkoop
Still, the transfer failure is a loss for Geertruida. “They said that a left-footed central defender of theirs had been injured. That is why they would have shifted their search to another left-footed defender. As a trainer of Feyenoord, I am not sorry about that, but as a person I would have given Geertruida a transfer.”
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Now that the transfer to RB Leipzig has not taken place, it is not the intention that Geertruida will leave later: “But of course you never know”, Slot continued. “A defender could get injured again. And maybe they’ll end up with him again. But that also applies to other players of ours.”
By staying on Geertruida, Slot is therefore in the luxurious position of having three right backs. “We were firmly convinced that Lutsharel would leave. We anticipated this by recruiting Bart Nieuwkoop. It is a bit less for the treasurer, but in the end it ensures that the situation is now simply worthy of a top club” There is therefore a chance that Nieuwkoop as third choice starts in De Kuip. Because one thing is certain, Geertruida will start against Fortuna Sittard on Sunday: “You can assume that.”
