AZ Alkmaar coach Arne Slot is confident of keeping Myron Boadu and Teun Koopmeiners this summer despite links with the likes of Newcastle United, Everton and West Ham, while speaking to the club’s YouTube channel.
Unfortunately for Dutch football fanatics, an exhilarating Eredivisie team does not stick together for long.
PSV lost Memphis Depay and Gini Wijnaldum to the lure of English football after storming to the title in 2015.
And, since charming the continent en route to the Champions League football last year, Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and Hakim Ziyech have all graduated from the esteemed Ajax finishing school.
So, after Slot turned a free-flowing AZ side into arguably the most watchable team in Holland thanks to his Barcelona-lite tactics and a treasure trove of young talent, it was no surprise when the vultures started to circle above the Zaanstreek.
But to say Slot is suffering from sleepless nights would be inaccurate.
“I think it is realistic to think we can keep them,” says one of Europe’s up-and-coming coaches.
“But every club takes into account that sometimes a player can leave and we are no exception.
“Contrary to what I sometimes read, I often hear from these guys that they are very happy with us and think that we have a strong team that can perform well next season.
“The preliminary rounds of the Champions League, for example are also a new challenge for them.”
Voetbal4u reported in March that Arsenal had identified the £18 million-rated Boadu as a potential Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replacement at the Emirates.
Newcastle have also been linked, via 90Min, with the 20-goal Dutch international every inch the prolific number nine Steve Bruce is crying out for.
Everton were linked with a £12 million swoop for captain Koopmeiners via The Sun in May, while Calciomercato suggested that West Ham were interested too.
The influential skipper evolved from an all-action midfielder into a Javier Mascherano-esque sweeper under the Guardiola-inspired Slot, while scoring 16 goals thanks largely to his dead-eyed penalty skills.
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