Koeman The Catalyst In Valencia's Van Der Vaart Approach
While the Valencia players haven’t had the chance to even meet their new coach yet, Ronald Koeman is already thinking about strengthening the squad in January – and it seems like he’s even set a target.
Rafael Van Der Vaart was strongly linked with Valencia in the summer, when he even posed with a Che shirt, before Hamburger SV aborted the 21.5-million-euro move.
However, he’s made no secret of his desire to join a Spanish side because of his family ties, though stating that he wouldn’t like to leave Germany before the end of the season.
Perhaps the most gifted midfielder of yet another talented generation of Dutch footballers, and only 24 years old, the former Ajax playmaker is arguably HSV’s biggest asset.
After moving across the border from Amsterdam for 5.5 million in the summer of 2005 he has become the German side’s natural leader with 82 appearances, 39 goals and numerous assists.
Valencia have the edge
It is so no wonder that he’s attracted the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, such as Chelsea, Internazionale, Bayern Munich and – of course – Valencia, who now appear to have the edge over their competitors.
The reason is simple: Koeman. Jan Wouters promoted Van Der Vaart to the Ajax first team and Co Adriaanse established him as a regular, but it was under the new Valencia manager that he flourished for almost four years, even though they had their disagreements – especially when Koeman decided that Van Der Vaart should give up the captain’s armband, in December 2004.
A thing of the past
Are they prepared to leave the past behind them, should Valencia match Chelsea’s alleged 28.9-million bid?
Koeman certainly is. “Rafael is a fantastic player and I’d gladly welcome him to Valencia. What’s happened is a thing of the past and we all learn from our experiences.” the former PSV Eindhoven boss told “De telegraaf” newspaper.
Van Der Vaart seems to agree. “What has occurred in the past between me and Koeman won’t stand in the way of a possible move to Valencia. I have matured and learned. We dealt with some things in a different way, but that’s history.”
goal.com