Tottenham Hotspur icon Rafael van der Vaart believes Ajax winger Steven Bergwijn ‘failed’ in the Premier League before falling out of favour and returning to the Eredivisie.
If the Dutch international is to avoid a similar fate at the Johan Cruyff Arena, then more performances like Sunday’s at home to Emmen would go a long way.
Bergwijn exploded out of the blocks after re-joining Ajax during the summer of 2022; a hat-trick in only his second Eredivisie appearance against Groningen. But, as Tottenham supporters know only too well, Bergwijn can be equal parts thrilling and frustrating; that blistering start to life back in Amsterdam preceding a lengthy barren run.
With three goals and an assist in his last five top-flight games, Ajax’s record signing appears to be heading in the right direction again.
But, after scoring just seven times in 60 Premier League outings at Tottenham – that stunning volley on debut against Manchester City the very definition of a ‘false dawn’ – Bergwijn has a long way to go before he can claim to have restored his once-glittering reputation.
Tottenham Hotspur sold Steven Bergwijn to Ajax
“Bergwijn failed at Tottenham,” Van der Vaart tells Ziggo Sport.
A regular fixture alongside Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son at the start of the Jose Mourinho era, Bergwijn quickly fell down the pecking order under Antonio Conte. Especially once Dejan Kulusevski arrived on loan from Juventus back in January 2022.
Ajax legend Wim Kieft, meanwhile, believes Bergwijn’s development has plateaued since a promising spell at PSV Eindhoven around five years ago.
“In attack, Steven Bergwijn is very disappointing,” Kieft explains.
“He plays football like the eternal talent. It is as if you are watching the Bergwijn of four or five years ago at PSV. When he alternated one or two good matches with five bad ones.
“Bergwijn is now 25-years-old. He has had an adventure in the Premier League. So you can expect more than what he has shown at Ajax so far. Demand even more. He is a player who was signed from Tottenham Hotspur for more than 31 million euros.
“(Bergwijn) has it in him, but you don’t see it at all at Ajax. He lacks the will and drive to give everything to get the best out of himself. Bergwijn has to think about himself.”
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