Dutch footballers have played a significant role in the growth of the Premier League, with several big-name players plying their trade in England’s top-flight over the last 20 odd years.
The likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie, Edwin van der Sar, and Ruud van Nistelrooy, to name a few, left a mark in the Premier League, winning numerous titles and wowing audiences all around the world.
Another Dutch player will look to emulate these giants of Dutch football when he makes his switch to a top-class club in the Premier League.
Netherlands international Nathan Ake is set to make a switch to Manchester City after Bournemouth accepted the Sky Blues’ bid for the defender. He will hope to win some silverware under Pep Guardiola, and join an illustrious list of Dutch footballers to win the Premier League.
He will also look to follow in the footsteps of a few great Dutch centre-backs. Let’s take a look at the top 3 Dutch centre-backs in Premier League history:
Top 3 Dutch centre-backs in Premier League history
#3 John Heitinga
The third name on this list may have not won any titles in his spell in the Premier League, but he helped Everton finish in the top 8 between 2009 and 2013.
The side overachieved under manager David Moyes, with Heitinga playing a key role in the backline. His good performances even won him the Everton Player of the Season for the 2011-12 season.
Heitinga was also a key player for the Dutch national side, appearing 87 times for the senior side, a majority of those appearances coming during his spell at Everton.
#2 Virgil van Dijk
There hasn’t been a player with a bigger, noticeable impact on a team in recent years than Virgil van Dijk. The Liverpool defender transformed the Reds from a team that were exciting but unsure at the back, to a world-class team that have toppled numerous records and titles.
(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
The towering presence of Virgil van Dijk in the Liverpool backline has brought a sense of calm and authority to the Liverpool defence, which was missing prior to his move from Southampton to Liverpool.
Van Dijk has shown great defensive prowess, but has also brought leadership to the Liverpool team. It seems that the £75 million that Liverpool paid for him in 2018 is now a bargain.
#1 Jaap Stam
Virgil van Dijk is now heralded as the best defender in the world, but there he’s not the only Dutch defender in Premier League history to wear that badge of honour.
Jaap Stam, while playing for Manchester United – and a part of the 1999 treble-winning team – earned that reputation 20 years ago.
Stam was a hard-as-nails defender who was strong and powerful, but could also move the ball around from the back.
He helped the Red Devils to three back-to-back Premier League titles, but was controversially sold by then United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who later regretted making that decision.