Monday, September 27, 2021 at 10:52 PM• Jeroen van Poppel

René van der Gijp enlightens Veronica Inside Tijjani Reijnders out as a player to keep an eye on. The analyst of the talk show saw the 23-year-old midfielder excel at AZ in recent weeks and predicts a great future for him. “I actually wanted to keep it to myself and say it once in four weeks,” said Van der Gijp.

Reijnders scored a great goal against Go Ahead Eagles (5-0 win). “Because he now shot that ball in the intersection, it might be a bit easy, but I’ve had a few weeks that I think: good player,” says Van der Gijp. “I think Reijnders is a player to keep an eye on. I thought that against FC Twente (3-1 loss, ed.). He has everything for a midfielder: he is light-footed, he covers a lot of field, he has a good overview, a good kick.”

“He is a very nice player,” continues Van der Gijp. “And you like to watch that. Ryan Gravenberch is too, while he has not been in the shape of his life in recent weeks. But Reijnders is also a graceful player to watch.” The subject then changes in the talk show to Gravenberch, who was heavily criticized by Marco van Basten on Sunday because he was said to be ‘fed to the brim’. “Those boys are covered with pats on the back”, Johan Derksen responds. “We are also participating in that. ‘What a talent, he has to be in the Dutch.’ Then they start to think that they are very good and that is the beginning of the end.”

Hans Kraay junior stands up for the midfielder of Ajax. “Gravenberch is such a great player. He won’t play with the handbrake and at half power. I have rarely seen a player with such acceleration on the ball, as Gravenberch. I thought he couldn’t shoot, but he trains like mad, he also has a shot these days. I am convinced that he will be sold for 40 million euros at the end of the season. The top clubs will line up.” Van der Gijp does not believe in that yet. “He must immediately be given a basic place in the Dutch, Ajax must continue in the Champions League, and then he must show it.”