When asked why so few offers had come in for Joey Veerman during the summer transfer window, Heerenveen coach Johnny Jansen suggested that an eye-watering price-tag had the Dutchman’s suitors running for the hills.
“It is true that clubs may be a bit shocked by the price that may have to be paid,” Jansen mused. “I think they once said about 10 million euros (£9 million) or something.
“Whether (such a fee) is madness or not, I don’t know. But that can scare people.”
It may be no coincidence that, since Jansen went public with Veerman’s price-tag, interest from Rangers – and others – dried up quicker than a puddle of water in a July day on Death Valley.
The Scottish Premiership champions reportedly offered around £4 million in July – less than half the amount Heerenveen wanted for their barnstorming, box-to-box, line-breaker.
Six months on, there is an acceptance at the Abe Lenstra Stadium that to keep Veerman for another year would be like keeping a tiger locked in a cage.
One of the Eredivisie’s best and most complete midfielders has made no secret of his desire to break free of the mid-table shackles and climb the footballing ladder.
And it seems that, unlike a few months ago, Heerenveen will not stand in his way this time.
Could Rangers go back in for Joey Veerman in January?
“Feyenoord would like to have him. We will see how it goes,” Veerman’s agent, Fulco Van Kooperen, tells De Telegraaf.
“What is a reasonable (transfer) value for him in the Netherlands? I think around six million euros (£5 million) and re-sale clause.”
“Now he has to go and they (Heerenveen) know that too. That is why Heerenveen want to participate in a transfer. Joey wants to take a step forwards.”
Steven Gerrard is understood to have driven Rangers’ pursuit of Veerman last summer and it remains to be seen whether Giovanni van Bronckhorst picks up where his predecessor left off.
The former Netherlands captain guided Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2017 and one would imagine that Veerman’s rise to prominence in recent seasons will not have passed him by.
Veerman is the sort of midfielder Van Bronckhorst loves.
He can control a game and pull the strings with his superb passing range while drifting into the penalty area – beyond the strikers – to score or create chances in the final third.
£9 million was just too rich for Rangers’ blood. But £5 million? Now you’re talking.
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