Football Season Guide

FC Utrecht

In


Vaclav Cerny (att)(Ajax); Adrian Dalmau (att)(Heracles Almelo); Adam Maher (mid)(AZ Alkmaar); Justin Lonwijk (att)(PSV U21); Issah Abass (att)(FSV Mainz 05 on loan); Giovanni Troupée (def)(ADO Den Haag end of loan); Odysseus Velanas (mid)(Helmond Sport); Patrick Joosten (att)(VVV Venlo end of loan);

Out


Nicolas Gavory (r)(mid)(Standard Liege); Nick Marsman (gk)(Feyenoord); Cyriel Dessers (sp)(att)(Heracles Almelo); Michiel Kramer (att)(released); Oussama Tannane (sp)(att)(Saint Etienne end of loan); Riechedly Bazoer (r)(mid)(Wolfsburg end of loan); Timo Letschert (r)(def)(Sassuolo end of loan)

The last season was almost the copy of the previous one, they ended in 6th place instead of 5th, but collecting only one point less than last year. Yet this year the conclusion was much sweeter, while in 2018 they had lost the playoff final for access to Europa League against Vitesse, this year they got revenge and defeated the Arnhem team. All in all a positive campaign even if a little step forward was expected. Dick Advocaat faced troubles in finding the right balance, the team scored few goals and he was often criticized for his too utilitarian and not very spectacular play. That is why at the end of the season he left, being replaced by former AZ Alkmaar coach John van den Brom. Many changes during the summer transfer market, especially in attack where Dessers, Kramer and Tannane left, being replaced by Cerny, Abass, Joosten and above all Dalmau, who last season scored 19 goals in Eredivisie with Heracles. If the situation seems settled in attack they have yet to fill in the holes in midfield to replace the departures of important players like Bazoer and Gavory.

Target


Utrecht seem to be able to repeat the last two seasons, for a quality leap a lot will depend on Dalmau's goals.