The analysts on Voetbalpraat are full of praise for Charles Vanhoutte. Sjoerd Mossou even wonders why Ajax did not try to sign the Feyenoord midfielder as a number 6.
Last summer, the 28-year-old Vanhoutte signed a three-year deal. The Belgian midfielder is a regular in Giovanni van Bronckhorst's team, with ten appearances in the Vriendenloterij Eredivisie and three in the Champions League.
After watching Vanhoutte in Sunday's big match against PSV, Kenneth Perez delivers his verdict. "Vanhoutte is the glue. That is what people want," he concludes. Club correspondent Martijn Krabbendam wholeheartedly agrees. "A few times, when he was taken off, you could see that Feyenoord completely lost control."
"It's quite strange, really, that Ajax have spent four and a half years looking for a number 6. He would have been a good player for Ajax too, wouldn't he?" Mossou says, joining the discussion about Vanhoutte.
Krabbendam points to the transfer fee. "He's a cheap Hendo (Jordan Henderson, ed.), but a good one. Feyenoord paid only €5.5 million for him," he says.
Feyenoord lead the Eredivisie, with Vanhoutte a guaranteed starter in midfield. Van Bronckhorst usually picks Oussama Targhalline and Gjivai Zechiël alongside him.
On Sunday, the Belgian signing also started against PSV. Jakub Moder, match-fit again after a lingering injury, replaced him shortly before the end.