'The book is basically closed' - Koeman slams Bergwijn's Saudi move | OneFootball

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has slammed Steven Bergwijn’s decision to move to the Saudi Pro League, claiming the winger has prioritised finances over sporting ambition, and that he will not consider him for international selection for the foreseeable.

Bergwijn left Ajax on Monday for Al-Ittihad in a €25 million deal, a move which has angered his international boss, who has also said it is different to Gini Wijnaldum’s move to Al-Ettifaq from PSG this time last year.

“Georginio Wijnaldum once went that way because he had a problem at Paris Saint-Germain,” Koeman said. “He could only go to that country to play football until January.

“In Bergwijn’s case is that he goes at the age of 26, sporting ambition does not prevail. Not everyone thinks, fortunately, the same way. I think when you are 26 the main ambition should be sporting and not financial, but those are choices players make.”

The former Tottenham winger will link up with N’Golo Kanté, Karim Benzema, Fabinho in a side coached by Laurent Blanc but it appears his international career is over as long as Koeman is in charge, who also didn’t agree that the player had to make the move.

“He could have stayed at Ajax, couldn’t he? And I think they pay OK at Ajax too.”

“The book is basically closed for him, though. He has not contacted me about this. I think he knows how I think about this.”

Bergwijn has made 35 appearances for his country, and was part of Koeman’s Dutch squad at EURO 2024.