We had him on loan a few seasons back. He was decent for us. If he has improved at the normal rate one would expect then this is a good signing.
While Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea step up their preparations for the 2014-15 season, it looks as though Dutch left-back Patrick van Aanholt is not part of the plan. Nick Lustig wrote for the Daily Star in February that the 23-year-old would be returning to Stamford Bridge this summer; however, recent reports indicate that his future lies elsewhere. After the Blues wrapped up the signing of Filipe Luis last week, Van Aanholt told Votebal International (h/t Sky Sports): “Where will I play next season? I don’t know yet. It definitely won’t be at Chelsea. I am done here.” His frustration is understandable, as he must have seen a chance for himself at Chelsea when Ashley Cole announced his departure. However, nothing in his career so far suggests that Van Aanholt has been treated differently to any other developing player at a top club. The fact that he has a professional contract puts him ahead of 99 percent of aspiring footballers, per David Conn of The Guardian, but he may need to set his sights away from the Premier League. Since joining the Blues in 2007, Van Aanholt has made just eight first-team appearances, spending most of his time out on loan. The most successful of these loan spells have come from his time in the Eredivisie with Vitesse Arnhem, and his performances over the course of the 2013-14 season led to his inclusion in the preliminary Dutch squad for the World Cup, according to Reuters (via The Guardian). Despite this, he has failed to make the 26-man squad for Chelsea’s European pre-season tour. Screenshot from Squawka.com Per the Squawka comparison matrix, Van Aanholt came out on top in chances created, interceptions and successful take-ons when compared with Cesar Azpilicueta, Cole and new signing Luis last season. It looks as though the Dutchman has been treated unfairly on this evidence alone, until you consider the disparity in quality between the Eredivise, La Liga and the Premier League. Ajax were the last Eredivise club to appear in the Champions League final, losing to Juventus in 1996. By contrast, teams from La Liga have made 10 appearances in the finals in the 18 years since a Dutch side last appeared, with nine appearances from Premier League clubs. The gulf in the quality of the respective leagues certainly skews the statistics in Van Aanholt’s favour. It is no secret that Mourinho likes his defenders to defend. Although marauding full-backs have become a crucial part of the modern tactical game, it is vital that they understand their main duty is to protect the flanks. Van Aanholt’s overall defensive score of 4.42 per game is the lowest of the trio by far, and when you compare it to Azpilicueta’s 16.7 and Luis’ 15.47, it is easy to see why Mourinho prefers them to the Dutchman. Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Being a professional footballer is not easy. Breaking into the first-team at a club like Chelsea is almost impossible when they have the budget to buy the best players for every position. Despite that, the brightest prospects from the development squads will manage to find a way through. John Terry managed to fight his way through in the 90s. More recently, Nathan Ake’s persistence has led to a place in the first-team squad, and Patrick Bamford and Lewis Baker seem set to join him. Patience, persistence and continued improvement will eventually pay off, even if it doesn’t work out quite as you expected. After seven years of coaching, development and loan spells, Van Aanholt has not consistently reached the level needed to succeed at Chelsea. His current contract expires in 2015, and it would make sense for the club to cash in on him while they can this summer. Feyenoord are reportedly interested, per Simon Johnson at the London Evening Standard, and a return to the league where he has had the most success in his career so far would be best for Van Aanholt in the long run. It may be disappointing to see seven years work come to such an end, but that's football.
I have never seen the lad play. Let's hope he can do well if we get him. I still hope we get Alonso as well. Who would believe it sunderland with not just 1 but 2 natural left backs.
I was always impressed with him when he was at us on loan, about 3 or 4 years ago I reckon. Been anonymous since then, mind you, he'll have to be some player to get in Chelsea's side.
Fair point mate, I'm happy that we're in a position to be buying a player as good as this. He was almost on the plane to Brazil, for Holland, and, for a club almost relegated, is canny. I took flak, at the start of last season, for defending Mannone and saying he'd become a hero. I'll take the same risk with this lad. People seem to believe he's coming as 'second fiddle' to Alonso but I reckon he'll make people change their views. (BTW, he's only seemed anonymous because he's been playing away from the Premier League, I reckon.)
Never seen him play TBH smug - Mannone - I was delighted to be eating humble pie. No humbling required for this lad as I can't post an opinion. Although he hasn't signed yet has he?
No he hasn't ...... I wondered if it was just a 'hint' to Alonso but I'd be more than happy to see this lad come. I've only kept an eye on him since we signed Dossena and thought there must be someone out there who was better for us. He's a 'Poyet' type of player and more than good enough for Sunderland imo.
Presuming you aren't paying too much he looked a solid though unspectacular player for us (in the handful of games we saw of him) though that was in the championship. He has had a few more years under his belt and it is to his credit that he has always looked to get games and still is (rather than certain players who seem happy to sit on the bench and get their pay). A slight concern would be that his loan to Wigan - his only loan into the premiership - a couple of years back didn't work out as he hardly played and then eventually the loan was cut short. If its a small fee then it looks a good move, I can't see you having forked out much though - too much of a gamble. Would like to see him do well, comes across as having a good mentality to me.
SUNDERLAND are looking to seal a move for Chelsea’s Patrick van Aanholt within the next 24 hours to finally ease their left-back headache. Reports emerged last night that Sunderland were in talks with Chelsea over van Aanholt, with the defender keen to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after entering the final 12 months of his contract. The Echo understands from London sources that the Black Cats are indeed close to landing the Dutch international and they could make a much-needed breakthrough in the transfer market today. Van Aanholt, who came through the Chelsea ranks while Sunderland sporting director Lee Congerton was at the club, has been looking to make a permanent exit from Chelsea this summer after spending the last two-and-a-half seasons on loan at Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem. That was the fifth club that van Aanholt had joined on loan – including a one-month spell at Newcastle in 2010 – with the 23-year-old making just eight first-team appearances for Chelsea. “Where will I play next season?” said the two-time Dutch international, who has been linked with Feyenoord, earlier this month. “I don’t know yet. It definitely won’t be at Chelsea. I am done here.” The capture of van Aanholt will provide a welcome boost for Sunderland boss Gus Poyet, with the Black Cats heading to Portugal today with only one recognised full-back – right-back Billy Jones – on the books of the first-team squad. Poyet has been keen to re-sign last season’s loanee Marcos Alonso on a permanent deal, but the move for the left-back has dragged on with Italian side Fiorentina haggling over a fee for the Spaniard. After Wednesday night’s pre-season victory over Hartlepool, Poyet reiterated the pressing need for the issue to be addressed this week and van Aanholt has emerged as a viable alternative to Alonso. Van Aanholt’s capture won’t necessarily spell the end of Sunderland’s interest in Alonso, with the Black Cats still in need of further defensive reinforcements. But, after Poyet spoke about examining alternative targets, van Aanholt is expected to become the first arrival at the Stadium of Light since the Bosman signings of Jones, Costel Pantilimon and Jordi Gomez at the start of the summer.
I normally agree with your opinions so will definitely go with you on that one. To be fair, if he's at Chelsea chances are he'll certainly be good enough for us even if he couldn't get in their team
Any idea on a price yet? Only a year remaining, very little experience in the league and there's never guarantees they can hack it, got to be taken into consideration in the price. Can't be more than 2.5m and % of future fee?
wouldn't write off this lad just yet. might be a good piece of business by the club, the lad was in the provisional Dutch squad for the world cup so he must have something about him. I do think even if we sign him we need another left back. Poyet will not going into the season with one knowing if anything happens to them we are knackered. Van Aaanholt and Alonso battling it out would be good for us
It's not that I'm writing him off, It's just once bitten with the Jozy Signing, Dutch league to Premier league is a big step up making him a massive risk without direct competition. Aaanholt and Alonso battling it out would be very very good I think, Aaanholt on his own and quite frankly I'm ****ting it.
hes got a massive throw in according to fifa and normally chelseas left back on the game around 2017 if fifas anything to go by which it isnt