- The former Spurs star left Ajax for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad
- He has 35 caps for the Netherlands, but his international career could be over
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Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has lashed out at Steven Bergwijn after the winger left for Saudi club Al-Ittihad.
Bergwijn, 26, completed a €21million (£17.7million) transfer from Ajax to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) giants on Monday.
The transfer ended Bergwijn’s two-year spell in Amsterdam, during which the winger excelled in the Dutch capital by scoring 29 goals and providing 12 assists in 80 games.
The 26-year-old, who previously played for PSV and Tottenham, made 35 appearances for the Netherlands and was part of Koeman’s squad for the 2024 European Championship. They reached the semi-finals, but lost to England.
However, Bergwijn was not selected for the upcoming Nations League matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Germany, amid speculation over his future.
Ronald Koeman brutally ended the career of a former Spurs star after he moved to Saudi Arabia
Steven Bergwijn completed a £17.7million transfer from Ajax to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad
Koeman lashed out at Bergwijn and said that ‘his book with the Dutch national team is closed’
And speaking to the media on Tuesday after his group met, Koeman slammed Bergwijn when asked about the winger, claiming the move to Saudi Arabia has had a major impact on his international ambitions.
“Steven Bergwijn is going to Saudi Arabia at the age of 26,” he said. “It is clear that this has nothing to do with sporting ambition.
‘His book with the Dutch national team is closed.’
When asked if Bergwijn had discussed the move with him, Koeman added: ‘No, he probably knows what I would have said.’
After the transfer was confirmed, Ajax technical director Alex Kroes provided more information about the deal: ‘Steven and Ajax have made no secret of the fact that he would make the switch if a good offer came from abroad.
‘This has now happened at the last minute, which gives the club the necessary financial flexibility to hopefully bring in a suitable replacement in the short term.
‘We wish our captain from last season every success in the next phase of his career.’
Bergwijn was part of the Dutch selection at the 2024 European Championship and played 35 international matches for his country
Koeman also revealed that Bergwijn had not consulted him prior to his transfer to Al-Ittihad
Bergwijn, who made his breakthrough at PSV, will work with Karim Benzema, Fabinho, Moussa Diaby and N’Golo Kante at Al-Ittihad.
He will play under former France and PSG coach Laurent Blanc, and the Frenchman hopes for a better season than Al-Ittihad, who finished fifth last season.
They have won both games so far this season and will be back in action after the international break with a home game against Al-Wehda.