Players are in the window at FC Groningen. The broom is still allowed through the selection in the last week before the transfer deadline

While most clubs often pull out all the stops in the last week before the transfer market closes to keep their best players or to bind some extra quality, FC Groningen is mainly aiming for outgoing transfers in the coming days. That the selection of coach Dick Lukkien is on the generous side became clear during last Sunday’s match against Willem II. Tomas Suslov, Joey Pelupessy, Laros Duarte, Ragnar Oratmangoen, Florian Krüger and Liam van Gelderen could not count on playing minutes. Some of them even sat in the stands.

Yoke on the shoulders

It is striking that the players who are currently missing the boat at FC Groningen are mainly the men who experienced relegation last season. The general opinion at FC Groningen is that part of the selection still carries the disaster season like a yoke on their shoulders and lapses into negativity at the slightest setback. It is therefore not for nothing that the club hopes to sell some of these players.

There is already concrete interest for some players. For example, Tomas Suslov can remember the interest of Slovan Bratislava. The Slovak had his contract broken open last January. Where his value in those good times was calculated at perhaps 5 million euros, the FC Groningen attacker now seems to be allowed to leave the club for less. That despite the fact that director Wouter Gudde previously announced that there are no relegation bargains to be had in the North. For the time being, the policymaker refrains from commenting on transfer matters. In Slovakia, the players’ market is open a little longer (until September 6).

Solution

There are also clubs in the market for Florian Krüger, who has not even made a minute this season. There is interest from, among others, Germany (Eintracht Braunschweig and Fortuna Düsseldorf) and Belgium (KAS Eupen). FC Groningen transferred more than a million euros to Arminia Bielefeld for Krüger last year and wants to see at least part of that money back.

Ragnar Oratmangoen and Joey Pelupessy can also leave Euroborg for the right bid. The same goes for Daleho Irandust. The Swede, who is still committed until mid-2026, proves to be physically very vulnerable time and time again and was again unable to break any pots against Willem II last weekend. A solution is also being sought for Kian Slor and Joël van Kaam. Slor could count on the interest of TOP Oss, the opponent of FC Groningen next Friday.

Hove

In contrast to all possible departing players, FC Groningen still hopes to be able to keep midfielder Johan Hove. The Norwegian, who has a limited transfer fee of one and a half million euros thanks to a relegation clause, has been close to a transfer to England a few times, but is still in Groningen in the meantime.