NEC Nijmegen figure rages at Robin Roefs claim made during Sunderland negotiations
Robin Roefs may prove to be the best signing for Sunderland after his start to the Premier League season.
Roefs was a bargain arrival at the Stadium of Light, having joined for around £9million plus £2.5-3m in add-ons.
It would be fair to say that not many, if any, had heard of the Dutchman before his switch from NEC Nijmegen.
Now, a senior figure at the Roefs’ former club has opened up about what happened before his move, and he is less than happy.
Senior NEC Nijmegen figure rubbishes Robin Roefs Ajax reports
Nijmegen General Manager Wilco Van Schaik vented his frustration at the end of the window after Jenson Seelt left Sunderland for Wolfsburg.
The reason he was furious with Sunderland was that his club had an agreement in place to sign Seelt, having allowed Roefs to move to Wearside.
Perhaps a bigger frustration will be watching as the goalkeeper’s value is skyrocketing after some monumental performances in the North East.
Roefs produced a man-of-the-match performance against Crystal Palace, producing a flurry of fine saves to deny Oliver Glasner’s side.
- Roefs made six saves against Palace
- He prevented 1.36 goals
- Completed 74 per cent of his passes
Now, Van Schaik has spoken out again, but this time on reports involving Ajax’s interest in the shotstopper.
“This summer, it was in the news that Ajax thought £6m was too much for Robin Roefs. When that’s brought up, it’s about £6m for two weeks, even though no specific amount was ever discussed,” he said via FC Afkicken’s podcast De Bestuurskamer on 15 September.
“We have to go to the media and say, ‘We would never start a conversation for six million.’ Then that’s the story again…”
Why Robin Roefs is already looking like a steal for Sunderland
When the Dutchman arrived, his stature was the first thing that many supporters noticed, given that he is six feet three.
At Nijmegen, Roefs was renowned for his ability to prevent crosses, an area in which Anthony Patterson is not as strong.
After his early-season form, Regis Le Bris’ number one has already received his first Netherlands call-up, although he did not feature during the international break.
For Sunderland, he has demonstrated his shot-stopping ability and already has one penalty save to his name.
Perhaps the main reason that the Black Cats’ backline feels so comfortable is his calmness and composure on the ball.
While it is early days, it appears that the Wearsiders have discovered an absolute gem in Roefs.
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