THIJMENVAN DER VLIET

Primarily a left back, with the game intelligence and technical range to also step forward into an attacking midfield role, he brings composure on the ball and a very high level of technique to both positions. He is two-footed, with left as his clearly dominant foot.

As a left back, he reads the game like an extra midfielder when his side is in possession, dropping into pockets of space to help build play and offering a reliable outlet under pressure. He is comfortable both hugging the touchline to stretch play and tucking inside to form an extra person in the midfield, adjusting his positioning to whatever the team needs. Going forward he is a genuinely attacking full-back, getting forward at pace to support or overlap the winger, with a good delivery from wide areas and the confidence to beat his man with an individual action in 1v1 duels. Defensively he combines his recovery speed with sharp anticipation, timing his challenges well and rarely getting caught out of position, while his explosive pace lets him get up and down the flank for the full 90 minutes.

As an attacking midfielder, he is composed under pressure and reads the game exceptionally well — understanding how a team is pressing to find the free man, or to make himself available in the pockets between the lines. His high level of technique lets him receive and turn under pressure, and he is confident taking players on, using his close control and change of pace to beat his man in 1v1 situations. That reading of the game, combined with his technical quality, lets him dictate tempo, break lines with his passing, and create a lot of danger in the final third, while still contributing defensively when the team is out of possession.