Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 8:01 PM• Mart van Mourik • Last update: 20:22

Arne Slot gave an update on the new acquisitions at Feyenoord on Saturday evening. Prior to the Eredivisie match with Vitesse, the trainer of the Rotterdam team discusses why the choice fell on Patrik Wälemark and Cole Bassett. In front of ‘s camera ESPN also asks reporter Hans Kraay Jr. about the situation surrounding Riechedly Bazoer, who is emphatically in the interest of Feyenoord. Slot, however, does not reveal anything.

“I had just discussed it with trainer Thomas Letsch: Bazoer”, Kraay Jr. opens the conversation. “You said at the press conference yesterday: ‘I still believe in it.’ Do you still believe in it today?” Slot clearly does not want to go into the matter. “You are a beautiful journalist, Hans. I said yesterday that I don’t think it’s appropriate to say anything about Bazoer. I was asked a question about Veerman and Bazoer. I said: ‘We know for sure that one of the two will not come to us, because he went to PSV.’ Those were my literal words.”

Kraay Jr. persists and tries to get an answer from the trainer via a detour. “Okay, an open question then. Do you still believe in it?” Slot avoids: “I am sure we can still get results tonight.” Kraay Jr.: “What a strange trainer you are becoming, man!”, the reporter responds with a laugh, before continuing the interview with questions about Feyenoord signings Wälemark and Bassett.

“Cole Bassett is an American international with a lot of running ability”, explains Slot. “He is still relatively young (twenty years, ed.) and can score a goal. When it comes to football, he still has to get used to the Dutch competition and the positional play, and he will have time for that. I think Wälemark is the creative striker we were looking for. Moreover, it is a left leg, and we did not have one yet. The comparison with Steven Berghuis? If you’re a left-footed player with a sense of through-pass who comes in a lot and performs well in the Swedish league, you can get Berghuis or Stengs. He is that type of player, but the danger is that expectations become very high.”