Goalkeepers at Groningen, are there any opportunities?
Updated: Jul 12, 2022
After your choice for PSV last week, you chose another Dutch team, we talk about Groningen today. Groningen have four goalkeepers in their squad.
Peter Leeuwenburgh
28 years (contract till 2023, option for 2 extra years)
Marketvalue: € 500.000
Jan Hoekstra
23 years (contract till 2024, option for 2 extra years)
Marketvalue: € 350.000 (under23 in SO5 till 2023)
Jan De Boer
22 years (contract till 2023)
Marketvalue: € 50.000 (under23 in SO5 till 2024)
Owen Van der Vlag
18 years (contract till 2022)
Marketvalue: € 50.000 (contractstatus unknown)
It's very easy to say who was the number 1 in Groningen this season, it's not that easy to predict what will happen next season. Peter Leeuwenburgh played all league matches for Groningen this season, but it was not always that great.
When Groningen brought Leeuwenburgh in last summer, there was quite a lot of scepticism in the media. At the age of 27 he never played one match in the Dutch Eredivisie until this season. Playing in the Ajax youth he made his debut in the 2nd division for Ajax II (they play in the dutch 2nd div.) at the age of 19. After 2 seasons playing only a couple of matches on that level, Ajax send him on loan to another 2nd division team, Dordrecht. There neither he could win some pro gametime, so when he came back after the season on loan, there werent that many options left for him to shine on pro level. He stayed another 2 seasons with Ajax II, playing only very few matches.
In 2018 he made a move not a lot of players will do, he moved to South Africa. The same month before he actually signed for Cape Town City, it looked like he was going to stay in Holland after training for some weeks with Fortuna Sittard, but he couldn't convince and sign a contract there. He did play all league matches for the South-African team during the three season he was there.
Coming back to the Eredivisie signing for Groningen, it was up to him to convince the Dutch fans, as with Hoekstra there was a very talented youngster around to bring more then serious competition for the 1st gk spot.
He did win the 1st gk spot, but you can't say he actually did convince during the season, he played on a decent level, but not always that consistent.
Only 4 matches with a clean sheat does mean something. During the season there were a lot of critics on him and the fact he did play all matches wouldnt have happened in all clubs.
Why didn't Hoekstra play more then? Well that's a question we should ask the manager. Fact is that the matches Hoekstra played in the Dutch cup were also not that great and therefore i might assume the manager didn't want to risk it, although a lot of people might disagree here and don't get why he didn't got a chance. The fact he got seriously injured in february meaned we will never know what might have happened if not.
Jan Hoekstra is a youth player from the club. He was on loan to 2nd division team NAC in 20-21, where he played almost all league matches and made a very good impression.
He did sign a new contract this year and the club really believes in him as their future keeper, contract till 2024 + 2 years option does mean they are for real at the club.
A new manager (ex-Heracles manager Wormuth joins Groningen) might mean a real chance for Hoekstra.
Who will be the 1st goalkeeper next season in Groningen? Unfortunatly that's impossible to answer. The two previous presented guys are still under contract and there a lot of rumours around Michael Verrips of Fortuna Sittard (on loan from Sheffield united) joining Groningen, which means there would be three options who actually can be 1st goalkeeper.
Honestly i don't think you can keep three goalkeepers of that level happy in a club as Groningen. There is no need to have that many goalkeepers under contract, as also De Boer has signed a new contract this year.
If i would have to guess, and this is pure speculation from my side, Verrips could be their number 1 if they sign him. 1 of the 2 other guys should go on loan or just leave. If they don't sign another goalkeeper after all, it's really open between Hoekstra and Leeuwenburgh for the 1st spot and with a new manager, impossible to make a prediction about that.
As mentioned before there is also another goalkeeper under contract, Jan De Boer. Unclear what will happen with him having all those other goalies around. The number 3 gk in Groningen looks the max for him now.
Disclaimer: this is not any Sorare or financial advice, i am just expressing my own ideas. Doyour own research if you would want to buy or sell one of their cards.