Sam Beukema had sleepless nights when he had to choose between AZ and Feyenoord. Because he excelled at Go Ahead Eagles last season, “every Eredivisie club except Ajax and PSV” was interested, the defender says in the podcast. Tiki Taka United† Beukema spoke to the trainers of AZ and Feyenoord and ultimately opted for a transfer to Alkmaar. He is not a regular basic customer, but he still stands behind his choice one hundred percent.
Beukema reached an agreement with AZ in March 2021. He wanted clarity before a ‘crucial period’ began in which Go Ahead competed for promotion to the Eredivisie. “But Feyenoord was also in the race. Actually, every club except Ajax and PSV was interested. I spoke with Arne Slot and that felt very good,” Beukema looks back. The defender, who competes with Pantelis Hatzidiakos in Alkmaar, chose Pascal Jansen’s team because of ‘the plan and the bigger picture’.
“Feyenoord was my childhood sweetheart,” he says, however. “It was very difficult, I didn’t sleep because of it. I was very restless in my head.” Beukema was helped by his parents with his choice stress. “We made a list and put everything in order. The conversations with the trainers felt good, but AZ really wanted to continue. I had to wait for Feyenoord for financial reasons, they could not make any promises. Arne did say it would be okay. , but you still want to have clarity towards the crucial period that came.”
“AZ had a very good plan and in the end that was the deciding factor,” explains Beukema, who believes he has made a good choice. “A hundred percent.” The 23-year-old stopper, who has so far participated 4 times as a basic player and 13 times as a substitute in the Eredivisie, thinks he is a good fit with his new club. “It took a while in the preparation, but in the end you go along with the level. I notice that I am now at AZ level and I feel that there is more to it. It is a nice step from Go Ahead to AZ, but I think I’ve adapted well and I’m doing pretty well.”