Ibrahim Afellay: Dutch Wing Sensation Targeted by Serie A But Perfect for Spurs, Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Aston Villa & Chelsea
Press reports suggest a number of Serie A’s biggest clubs are vying for the signature of PSV’s attacking midfielder Ibrahim Afellay this summer.
The talented 22-year-old has also been linked to a number of Premier League clubs in the past with Arsenal heavily linked. There are a number of English clubs looking to add more width to their teams and Afellay could prove to be an excellent signing for the likes of Spurs, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Everton.
The PSV star was born in Utrecht but is of Moroccan descent and came through the ranks at his present club. Afellay made his PSV debut in the 2003/04 season as a 17-year-old but has since become one of the stars of the Dutch Champions. In fact, apart from his debut season the young star has played his part in 4 successive Dutch title wins. Despite his superb winning record, a poor season for PSV seems destined to result in the sale of at least one of their star players as the club languish in 5th place, a staggering 21 points behind leaders AZ. PSV may be struggling but Afellay isn’t. He has enjoyed his most productive season with an impressive 12 goals in 24 league appearances (23 starts).
Despite his age, Afellay has now made 107 League appearances for the club and scored 24 goals. Only 6 players have scored more league goals than the youngster this season which has prompted the attention of a number of Italian clubs. These reports were recently highlighted by FIFA agent and expert on the Dutch transfer market, Alberto Faccini, who revealed in an interview with ilsussidiario.net,”Regarding Afellay to Inter or Lazio I don’t know anything, only what I’ve read in the news”
“For him, Fiorentina is a likely option in the event he were to arrive in Italy. He’s a very good player, but not cheap.”
“He is an interesting option for team who are looking for this type of player.”
The PSV midfielder has already demonstrated his quality last season when he played a starring role in his side’s 1-0 Uefa Cup 1st leg win over Spurs at White Hart Lane. His ability to beat his marker on the outside or inside was perfectly illustrated in this match as he gave Pascal Chimbonda a torrid time.
Afellay has also won 14 caps for his country which is impressive in itself when you consider the amount of midfield talent the Dutch boast. He was given the opportunity of playing for either Holland or Morocco but opted for his resident country. He won his first cap under Marco Van Basten in against Slovenia in March 2007 and has since become a permanent fixture in the squad including 3 appearances at Euro 2008.
The youngster would definitely fit into the set-up at the Emirates but after the arrival of Andrey Arshavin, interest from the Gunners may have waned. However, Chelsea have been crying out for more width and Guus Hiddink will know all about his fellow countryman. Spurs too have been on the lookout for a left-sided midfielder though Afellay can play in a number of positions including the right-flank. A regular Dutch international would surely be of great interest to Villa and Everton as they continue to build their squads to mix it with the big boys. While Liverpool despite an excellent run of form may feel a player with Afellay’s trickery would only benefit the squad.
Have you seen much of Ibrahim Afellay? Do you think the Dutch playmaker would be a good acquisition for the club? Let’s hear your views.
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Tags: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Holland, Ibrahim Afellay, Liverpool, PSV, Tottenham
