FC Groningen has received its desired successor from Sergio Padt. Peter Leeuwenburgh signed a two-year contract on Friday afternoon, with the club taking up an option for another two seasons. Leeuwenburgh will finish the season at Cape Town City FC in South Africa and will join Groningen next summer. The goalkeeper had an expiring contract, so that he could be taken over transfer-free.
Fledderus looked at the goalkeeper from Ajax’s youth academy with his own eyes in South Africa. “Our goalkeeper coach looked at him extensively on the basis of video images. We got a positive image of that based on data and video, but you also want to have a live experience. I went there for ten days. That was a fantastic trip. , but above all a good time to get a better picture of Peter “, says Fledderus on the club’s website. “That says something about the interest of Groningen,” says Leeuwenburgh.
“I have had many conversations with Groningen and Mark-Jan Fledderus”, Leeuwenburgh adds the technical director of Groningen. “They looked at what a goalkeeper from Groningen usually has to do during matches. That resulted in a lot of one-on-one actions. Then they analyzed goalkeepers and for me there were a lot of saves in one-on-one actions. I would like to call that a strong point. Groningen is a club that likes to play football, I can contribute to that. “
Leeuwenburgh went through the entire youth academy of Ajax, but did not get further than fifteen appearances for Young Ajax. With the reserves team, he became champion of the first division in the 2017/18 season. After an unsuccessful rental period at FC Dordrecht in the 2015/16 season, Leeuwenburgh decided to try his luck at Cape Town City in 2018. “That worked out very well. I worked hard to develop myself there, as a person and as a goalkeeper. That ultimately resulted in this great transfer.”
The fact that Leeuwenburgh has to fill Padt’s shoes near Groningen does not create extra pressure at the closing post. “I have a lot of respect for what Sergio has meant for the club and maybe will continue to do it. We have the same background, both come from Ajax. But I’m not here to be the new Sergio Padt. I just want to be myself. ” Fledderus is not concerned about the difference in level between Groningen and Cape Town City. “I was able to see live matches with my own eyes. That level is certainly not bad. Especially at the bottom of the Eredivisie middle bracket. In that respect, we have every confidence that Peter can show here that he can fill the big shoes he has to fill. . “
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