Gjivai Zechiël has reflected on his collapsed move to Lille OSC in an interview with Voetbal International. The 22-year-old Feyenoord midfielder was firmly on the French club's radar at the end of August, but the transfer never materialised.
Lille made several bids for Zechiël. The final offer was reportedly worth as much as €17 million, including bonuses.
"That was pretty serious," the player himself says now. "At that moment, it seemed better for me from a sporting point of view. But looking back, I am grateful and happy that I am here, because I am simply doing well here."
"I feel at home here, and I am grateful to be out on the pitch here. I am happy that I get to play for this club. In the end, you grow into the team, you start to understand your role in the team, but also the staff you are dealing with. That is, of course, also an important part of it. The staff and our style of play suit me very well," Zechiël said.
Ultimately, the move fell through. Feyenoord's hierarchy saw Zechiël as a key player and wanted to keep him if at all possible.
Then Feyenoord moved quickly. At the start of September, Sinclair Bischop of ESPN reported that the Rotterdam club had reached a verbal agreement with Zechiël over a contract extension, with his current deal running until mid-2028. "If everything goes well, that should be possible," the right-footer now says about it.
So far, Zechiël has made an excellent start to the new season. In the six competitive matches Feyenoord have played, the midfielder has delivered four goals and three assists.