First mega deal as good as done at youth EC, now the question is: who will follow?

• Thierry Boon

  reporter Jong Oranje in Georgia

With the imminent transfer of Italian Sandro Tonali for more than 70 million euros from AC Milan to Newcastle United, the European Under-21 team has its first mega-deal up for grabs. It is undoubtedly not the last.

Transfers, transfers and more transfers. Just about every interview these days in rainy Tbilisi ends with a question about an imminent transfer. Logical too, when you speak to the sought-after footballers of the Dutch national team.

“Finally: may we already congratulate you on your new club?”, is the question put to Bart Verbruggen from the press room, shortly after the draw against the Belgians in which the goalkeeper excelled.

While Verbruggen has barely recovered from his important saves, he responds to interest from the Premier League. “No, not yet,” he replies to a premature congratulations.

On the day before the game against Young Portugal, the Netherlands’ second group game, Micky van de Ven explains for the umpteenth time this week that he hasn’t signed anywhere yet.

“My business manager handles everything behind the scenes. If it becomes very serious, he will contact me. Other than that, I am putting the focus on the European Championship,” stated Van de Ven, who is said to be coveted by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Especially that last sentence you hear several times this EK.

Watch the preview with Van de Ven on the game with the Portuguese.

National coach Erwin van de Looi calls it of all times. And of all teams: even with the big Oranje, transfer perils always play a role. You can’t prohibit players from keeping in touch with their agents during the European Championship, he says when asked in the lobby of the Marriot hotel in Tbilisi.

Of course he talks to his players, as he actually does every international period. Is something playing? Are they calm about it or are they bothered by it? As long as they can perform. And so far there are no signs that they are not.

Although some players are trying to wrap up this European Championship as best they can, transfer rumors are also reaching the Young Orange dressing room. “The best part is when you read something about a player you’re with at the time and it’s not true at all,” Quinten Timber laughs. “That happens really often…”

On the contrary, the captain is one of the few players where things are pretty quiet in that regard. Although he too gets questions about rumors, but they are about his twin brother Jurriën. “Oh well, we know how it works. The media also have to have something to write about,” adds Jan Paul van Hecke.

Watch the video from the Youtube series “Young Oranje, class of ’23,” in which Quinten Timber, Sepp van den Berg and Jan Paul van Hecke discuss various topics, including transfer rumors.

“I often like to see rumors about others. I also award them a transfer eventually. It’s nice to see when someone you know makes a nice move,” Van Hecke said.

The central defender, who is a base player this European Championship after Sepp van den Berg’s injury, is mainly a substitute player at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. Last winter he was close to a transfer to Feyenoord.

He held talks with trainer Arne Slot, but was not allowed to leave England. And so he did not get to play in Rotterdam, at Timber’s club. “I have JP then did send a message of: your name is mentioned at Feyenoord, how about that!”

“Of course you talk about it,” Van Hecke responds. “If it’s the other way around, you also ask about it. Then you joke if the person already wants in the group app. But yes, in the end it doesn’t make sense, because anyone can just say anything and throw it online.”

Watch the preview with national coach Erwin van de Looi on the duel with the Portuguese.

Regardless, the players of the Young Oranje are under a magnifying glass in Georgia, where today the rain of the last few days will give way to the sun. The European Under-21 Championship is where the stars of the future will shine.

Where Royston Drenthe once earned a transfer to Real Madrid. And where home-grown striker Maceo Rigters became a millionaire in England after winning the European Championship in 2007.

At the 0-0 of Young Oranje against the Belgians, there were perhaps more scouts and business agents in the stands of the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium than supporters. Tonali’s mega-transfer will undoubtedly not be the last.

Timing also matters in this regard. Verbruggen is currently being mentioned at Brighton and Burnley. If he plays a few more good games and stands with the European Cup in Batumi on July 8, the world could just look very different. And what if Van de Ven is voted best player of the tournament?

But first, focus on the European Championship. Or as Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) put it this week about the interest of PSV, Feyenoord and Everton. “I see and read some things here and there, but I’m focusing on this tournament. I also deliberately asked my business manager not to give me that information until after the European Championships. We can take a prize, the rest we’ll see later.”