The question is whether Ritsu Doan will still be a contract player at PSV next season. The attacking midfielder annex wing attacker is ambitious and would love to play in the Champions League, which in Eindhoven, given the current second place and a ticket for the preliminary round of the billion-dollar ball, is by no means a guarantee for next season. Doan soon wants to meet with the new trainer Ruud van Nistelrooij to discuss his plans for the future.
Doan had doubts about a longer stay at PSV last year. After a loan period with Arminia Bielefeld, he regularly plays under Roger Schmidt. Nevertheless, the doubts have not completely disappeared from the Japanese. “I know very well what I want, to play in the Champions League”, it sounds in an interview with Football International† “That is the most beautiful competition, in it the best clubs play and you play against the best players in the world. I get even better on that stage and that is important for my future.” Doan is only 23 years old, but no longer sees himself as a young player.
Ritsu Doan wants to play in the Champions League. Will that work at PSV?
“I don’t consider myself young anymore. I’ve been in Europe for five years now, I have the necessary experience, so I set the bar high for myself. I think I can and should take steps quickly. I still have a contract until 2024 at PSV,” said Doan, who wants to talk to Van Nistelrooij in the short term, someone he holds very highly. “Ruud van Nistelrooij is a legend to me, as a child I saw all his matches at Manchester United and Real Madrid. It seems fantastic to work with him.”
The ambitious Doan immediately makes a comment. “But we will also have to be honest with each other. I also have to think about my career and future. I want to play a lot of football and my dream is the Champions League. That might be possible at PSV, but it could also be elsewhere.” Doan, who is therefore still two years in the Philips Stadium, is on 61 games (11 goals and 6 assists) on behalf of PSV. He was taken over from FC Groningen in 2019 for 7.5 million euros.