When Freiburg signed a £16 million Dutch international in September, the hope was that Guus Til would help Christian Streich’s side blossom into genuine dark horses for a European place.
So it is to the eternal credit of the Bundesliga’s perennial overachievers that they are currently eighth in the table, just six points off the Champions League spots, despite the ongoing injury problems of their most high-profile signing in many years.
Til, the former AZ Alkmaar captain, has played just 19 minutes of football during a frustrating debut season in Germany.
Despite overcoming a ligament problem which scuppered his chances of making an immediate impact at Freiburg, the powerhouse attacking midfielder now finds himself on the outside looking in; a big-name bench-warmer with Streich operating under the assumption that something that isn’t broken does not need fixing.
“Guus is suffering from the fact that things are going well for the team – especially in the attack,” sporting director Klemens Hartenbach told Kicker.
Italy international Vincenzo Grifo is in the midst of an outstanding campaign, alongside Bundesliga stalwart Niklas Hofler and the all-action Frenchman Baptiste Santamaria.
In short, Til has not had a look in.
While Til’s positive, never-say-die spirit has earned him plenty of admirers at Freiburg, it remains to be seen how long that positivity endures.
Kicker reports that Til’s two-year loan deal from Spartak Moscow can be cut short at the end of the season. If the rangy Dutchman cannot make a scratch on Streich’s iron-clad starting XI, a premature parting of the ways may be for the best.
De Telegraaf reported over the summer that Rangers, PSV and Feyenoord all held talks with Til’s agent before he swapped Spartak for the Schwarzald Stadium.
We can only assume, then, that he won’t be short of offers if a first-team place continues to elude the Zambia-born dynamo in Baden-Württemberg.
Til produced 15 goals and seven assists during his final season at AZ in 2018/19. When fit and firing, he is force of nature, a born leader with a prolific goal-scoring rate from central midfield.
If Freiburg can’t find room for a place with his ability, Rangers, PSV or Feyenoord certainly will.
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