Marco van Ginkel will leave Vitesse, that is the expectation of the 31-year-old captain of the Arnhem club. Van Ginkel has an expiring contract and has a logical excuse to leave after relegation to the Kitchen Champion Division: the midfielder does not play on artificial grass due to knee problems.

Vitesse received no fewer than eighteen points deduction from the Eredivisie by the KNVB licensing committee and was therefore relegated in one fell swoop. Van Ginkel seems to be leaving the club.

Van Ginkel suffered several serious knee injuries during his career and for that reason does not play on artificial grass. About half of the clubs in the Kitchen Champion Division play on an artificial surface. “That is a major complication,” Van Ginkel said at a Vitesse press conference on Wednesday.

“It is not very likely that I will play in the Kitchen Champion Division,” said Van Ginkel. This seems to end the midfielder's second period with his childhood sweetheart Vitesse. “My contract is expiring. I have not had any discussions about it yet.” In principle, Van Ginkel wants to continue as a professional footballer, he confirms.

Vitesse in conversation with John van den Brom

Vitesse is in discussions with John van den Brom, who is willing to return as head coach of the Arnhem club. “We are in discussions with each other,” confirms director Edwin Reijntjes.

An agreement has not yet been reached. Van den Brom wants to immediately compete for promotion to the Eredivisie, but Vitesse is in major financial problems and fears they will have to focus on places five to eight.

“It would be fantastic that someone like Van den Brom would step in. But everything in perspective, it may well be that there will no longer be a club in a few weeks,” said Reijntjes. “A direct promotion would be a miracle anyway.”

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