sc Heerenveen are set to strengthen their squad in the short term with Dirk Proper, according to transfer journalist Mounir Boualin and Voetbal International. The NEC midfielder is on the verge of becoming the Frisian club’s third summer signing, following the arrivals of left-back Darling Blady and striker Lanroy Machine.
By closing in on Proper, Heerenveen have found the successor they wanted for Joris van Overeem. The experienced midfielder returned to FC Utrecht earlier this summer after being named the Frisians’ Player of the Year last season.
Technical manager Johan Hansma then started the search for a suitable replacement in midfield. Proper had been on the wish list at the Abe Lenstra Stadion for some time. Sparta Rotterdam were also seriously interested, but have missed out.
Boualin reports that Heerenveen have now reached an agreement in principle with NEC over the transfer of the 21-year-old midfielder. Only the medical and the final formalities still need to be completed before the move can be made official.
Provided the final details are wrapped up without any problems, Proper will put pen to paper on a multi-year contract in Friesland. That would give Heerenveen another important addition for the new season.
Proper remains under contract in Nijmegen until the summer of 2027. Heerenveen are expected to pay a transfer fee of around one million euros for his services.
So far, the midfielder has made 185 appearances for NEC’s first team. In those matches, Proper has scored thirteen goals. He was an important figure under head coach Dick Schreuder in the 2024/25 season, but lost his place in the starting XI over the past football year to revelation Darko Nejasmic.