Ismaïl Aissati is reluctant to discuss the difficult situation of Mohamed Ihattaren at PSV extensively and publicly. The former midfielder of the Eindhoven club thinks it is better to leave the PSV playmaker alone for the time being. The now 32-year-old Aissati fervently hopes that Ihattaren can look back on a brilliant career after his active career.
“I think we should leave him alone for a while”, Aissati concluded on Monday in an extensive interview with the NOS. “He is a Moroccan boy from Utrecht. Everyone is proud of him, including me. I hope he is happy and we can say at the end of his career that he was a topper. Let’s hope he will not become a second Aissati” , according to the experienced midfielder, who, like Ihattaren, comes from Utrecht but does not know the PSV player personally.
Aissati himself broke through at PSV years ago and many people at the time thought that he was heading for a great career. Despite a period at Ajax, he never reached the absolute top and played in Russia and Turkey at a few smaller clubs. “Sometimes offers from another country were better from a sporting point of view, but the money was less. Then I chose the money”, the former PSV player freely admits. “I still support that. I’d rather my family have a good life than myself.”
Until the beginning of March, Aissati was under contract with the Turkish Adana Demirspor. “But lately I really started to miss the family.” The routine has his contract terminated and returned to Utrecht, so beloved by him, where he regularly talks with fellow generation Ibrahim Afellay. “He was able to handle the pressure and has had a top career”, says Aissati about the player who played for Barcelona, among others. “What I like most about him is that he has always remained himself, despite having played in the absolute top. He is not a macho with a big car. Ibi is Ibi, that’s what they say here in Utrecht. I think that’s great. “
Aissati does not know if there is one last trick for him in the autumn of his career. “It must be something interesting for me and my family. I am no longer going to the Middle East, China or America. I am hoping for a Dutch club. It must be a team that wants to play football. I am not a player who is behind. man running “, the clubless midfielder expresses his wishes. “What do I do when FC Utrecht calls? They don’t need me at all, dude. They have great midfielders. Although I think I can still play with them. We’ll see. If nothing comes, I have one. had a good career “, Aissati concludes.