“Before he moved from Az Alkmaar to Milan, I don’t think anyone could have imagined such a transformation. The experience in Serie A has certainly completed him and now he can do everything.” He spoke like this Andy van der Meyde Of Tijjani Reijndersin an interview granted to La Gazzetta dello Sport during which he then added: “He is everywhere on the pitch: he plays the defensive phase, recovers the ball, imposes, but he also has the speed to reach the conclusion and score. I am his friend and I am happy for him: I had never seen him so strong.”
The former Inter player also spoke about another Dutchman, the Juventus player Teun Koopmeiners: “He too was a boy when he left the Netherlands, while now he is a man and a very strong footballer. Thanks to Gasperini who highlighted his characteristics at Atalanta.” His start in black and white wasn’t the best: “I don’t think he feels the weight of the shirt. His value is indisputable. He just needs to adapt to the new reality.”
A comparison between the two is inevitable: “Compared to Reijnders he has less ability to cover. Let’s say that ‘Koop’ is more of a 10, while Tijjani is a mix between a 4, an 8 and a 10. However, no one has any doubts about Teun “. Closing on a possible coexistence between them in the national team: “It’s a question to ask the Holland coach (Ronald Koeman, ed.), not me. I would always like to see strong players on the pitch. And they are among the best midfielders to the world.”