Eredivisie 2024/25 Preview: Go Ahead Eagles | OneFootball

Now into their fourth consecutive season as an Eredivisie club, Go Ahead Eagles have made themselves a fixture among the Netherlands’ highest division. Last season’s ninth-placed finish made history as the club’s best position since the season before, where they ended the term in 11th. They also qualified for the early stages of the Europa Conference League, yet recently faltered in the first qualifying round against SK Brann.

‘The pride of the IJssel’, as they’re known, ended last season perhaps the most evenly split team in the Eredivisie when it came to their goal difference of one. This arrived after the mid-table side scored 47 and conceded one less than that sum. A key part of their excellent season of 2023-24 were strikers Oliver Valaker Edvardsen and Willum Thor Willumsson.

They scored the most goals out of a side that really shared the load. With both on seven a-piece, now the dynamic will be slightly different in 2024-25, as the Icelandic Willumsson has departed for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship and alternative scorers have also left for new challenges elsewhere.

Last season’s position: 9th

Transfers In: Calvin Twigt (FC Volendam), Mathis Suray (FC Dordrecht), Julius Dirksen (FC Emmen)

Transfers Out: Willum Thor Willumsson (Blackburn Rovers), Philippe Rommens (Ferencvaros), Bas Kuipers (FC Twente), Aventis Aventisyan (West Armenia), Rashaan Fernandes (Omonia 29 Maiou), Xander Blomme (Excelsior), Erwin Mulder (Released)

Overview: In the dugout, 39-year-old Paul Simonis has replaced Rene Hake who is now assistant to Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. The young Simonis, in his first senior managerial job looks to implement his own style and will certainly be a point of interest for many this term.

High expectations from last season’s finish and victory in the European play-off, may inspire Simonis’ Eagles to soar. Of course, SK Brann prevailed against Go Ahead in the Europa Conference League’s second qualifying round, however, that taste of Europe may be enough motivation to keep the standard high. That too, would be helped if goalkeeper Jeffrey de Lange can somehow be persuaded to stay amid interest from Ajax, Blackburn, and Marseille, yet that exit looks near completion.

While losing Willumsson to Blackburn could affect the offensive output, hope still remains that his £3.4m (or €4m) transfer fee can be smartly reinvested into the club. So far, Go Ahead Eagles have had a pretty steady transfer window, signing Mathis Suray, Julius Dirksen and Calvin Twigt from FC Dordrecht, FC Emmen, and FC Volendam, respectively. This youthful trio from the second division can only be positive acquisitions.

The only player of the three they paid for was Suray, and then again, the Deventer club splashed out a mere €500,000 for his services. He looks to be a potentially savvy capture and one of a core tasked with filling the hole left by Bas Kuipers and Philippe Rommens, who had a split of 11 goals and nine assists between them. Suray’s development will be an exciting narrative within this season. For Dordrecht last term, he scored 13 goals and assisted six in 38 games as they finished 4th and lost in the first round of promotion play-off matches. Alongside the useful Edvardsens (of no relation) and Bobby Adekanye, Suray could really help Go Ahead Eagles.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield