Jong PSV coach Stijn Schaars has broken his silence on Joël van den Berg missing the Dutch side’s 2-2 draw away to RKC Waalwijk on Friday night in the Eerste Divisie.
PSV reportedly value the Dutch Under-19 international at around €4 million, with Celtic now said to be locked in talks. Schaars admitted he was prepared for offers to arrive for a player of Van den Berg’s potential.
He said: (ED), “We are in charge with the aim of taking players to a higher level.
“In doing so, we also hold regular internal discussions about our plans. Do we want to keep the lads here, promote them to the PSV first team, loan them out, or sell them?
“Since last year, our talents have been increasingly in demand, so we have to make choices. We knew that from the start of the season.”
The Jong PSV boss was honest about the prospect of losing the central midfielder ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline in Scotland, with his comments potentially highlighting how quickly a deal could progress given what he has heard recently.
He added: “It’s not ideal [to lose players], but it didn’t come completely out of the blue.
“Everyone knows this is the week before the transfer deadline and that things can still change.
“There was so much going on regarding these two that it was better to keep them out of the squad. Our other players handled the situation well.”
Schaars also offered some insight into how to get the best out of Van den Berg. With the 20-year-old highly rated by PSV, a potential move to the Hoops could represent a real coup for Celtic despite their failure to land a number of midfield targets this summer.
He said: “[Young] Players need stability and structure even more than experienced pros do.
“When situations like this arise, they aren’t yet fully able to anticipate them. Still, I’m incredibly proud of the them.
“They are two players who set the standard for the group in terms of values, toughness, physical strength in duels, and sprinting ability. Now others have to step up. That will take some time.”
It remains to be seen whether PSV and Celtic can come to an agreement for Van den Berg, but the early signs appear positive.
With members of the Hoops hierarchy reportedly in the Netherlands, it not only shows how highly Celtic rate the player but also how quickly they want to seal a deal.
With only six senior appearances for PSV, this would be something of a gamble from Celtic. However, given the clamour among supporters of the Eindhoven club for the midfielder to stay, it also points to the potential he has.
Keep Reading
