Van der Gijp names the ideal club for PSV star Ismael Saibari

René van der Gijp has been an admirer of Ismael Saibari for some time. Nevertheless, the Dordrecht-based analyst does not see the PSV attacking midfielder moving straight to one of Europe’s absolute top clubs, as revealed on Monday’s Vandaag Inside.

Presenter Wilfred Genee wants to know what the PSV player will bring to the table. Van der Gijp immediately changes tack. “Saibari isn’t going to the big fourteen in Europe, Bayern Munich and the like. I don’t think so. I’m thinking more along the lines of Borussia Dortmund or another club.”

Van der Gijp saw the midfielder shine particularly on the European stage. “Saibari has played a few good matches in the Champions League. I thought he was particularly good against Bayern; he scored a brilliant goal then too. And that odd Kompany knows him.”

“He’s currently the best player at PSV,” agrees Derksen. Valentijn Driessen also rates Saibari highly. “He’s so good that he’s outgrown Dutch football.”

Derksen then makes an observation. “I’ve always felt he’s a bit overweight.” Van der Gijp picks up on that straight away. “He’s got a bit of a big head, but that’s fine.”

“But he’s got power and drives forward. That’s quite different from Veerman. That’s a different story,” says the former PSV winger, immediately waxing lyrical about Saibari again. “He also scored a brilliant goal with his left foot in the away match against Feyenoord.”

“And Saibari must be lucky that Kompany, whom he knows of course, thinks: he’ll be useful to me. Because if he’s got three in midfield at Bayern, he must have five in total. Who are just as good,” Van der Gijp speculates on a possible move to Bayern.

Finally, Driessen notes that players from the Netherlands no longer command transfer fees of 70 million euros. “Perhaps 30 or 35 million euros. I don’t know how much longer his contract with PSV runs.” Saibari is under contract in Eindhoven until mid-2029.

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