After two successive 12th place finishes in the Eredivisie, can Cambuur stake a claim for the top ten or are they set to be dragged into a relegation battle?

  • By Michael Bell
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cambuur logoCambuur have settled nicely into the Eredivisie since their promotion in 2013, finishing comfortably above the relegation zone on two occasions, while their attractive style has earned them a number of admirers.

The objective for the club this season now needs to be challenging for the top ten, but is their squad strong enough to challenge the likes of Willem II, Heerenveen, PEC Zwolle and Utrecht?

Summer transfers

Cambuur have been busy this summer with seven players arriving in Leeuwarden, while nearly double that number have left for pastures new.

A number of young talents have joined Cambuur this summer, with Jack Byrne loaned from Manchester City, winger Dominik Masek joining from Hamburg, and Swedish striker Valmir Berisha signing from Roma. The defence has been strengthened by the arrival of Kai Heerings from Utrecht, and Dordrecht’s Marvin Peersman, while midfielder Sjoerd Overgoor comes in from Go Ahead Eagles.

Thirteen players have left Cambuur this summer, including Michiel Hemmen, Mohamed El Makrini, Lucas Bijker, and Wout Droste. Daniel de Ridder and Damiano Schet were released, while Sinan Bytyqi and Dejan Meleg returned to their parent club’s after loan spells.

Pre-season

Cambuur easily saw off amateur sides DTD (2-1), Drachtster Boys (7-0), and Regioteam (7-0), while they also recorded wins over Eerste Divisie clubs Volendam (2-1) and Achilles 29 (4-0). However they also tasted defeat against new Eredivisie side De Graafschap (2-3), Turkish side Kasimpasa (1-2), and Koln (1-2)

Strongest line-up

Nienhuis, Mac-Intosch, Reijnen, Heerings, Peersman, Overgoor, Van der Streek, Byrne, Narsingh, Ogbeche, Rosheuvel

Key Players

cambogbechBartholomew Ogbeche

The Nigerian has become the focal point of the Cambuur attack since joining the club in 2014, and was the clubs top scorer last season with 13 goals. Always a threat in the box, Ogbeche has had a strong start to pre-season, scoring five goals and will now be aiming to hit the ground running when the season starts.

narsignh furFurdjel Narsingh

The brother of PSV winger Luciano Narsingh, Furdjel enjoyed an impressive first campaign with Cambuur last season, ending the season with eight assists in 23 games. The 27-year-old is one of the most creative players in the Cambuur squad, with his excellent dribbling skills, and accurate passing.

Young talent to watch

Jack Byrne, Manchester CityJack Byrne

One of the most interesting signings of the summer will see young Irish starlet Jack Byrne spend the season at Cambuur from Manchester City. The midfielder is very highly regarded in the Premier League club’s academy and will now get the chance of first team football in Netherlands. In the past week, Patrick Viera has likened the 19-year-old to Roy Keane, and Cambuur fans will be excited to see him in action this season.

berishaValmir Berisha

The striker burst onto the scene during the 2013 U17 European Championships, where he netted seven goals for Sweden, and his performances earned him a move to Italian giants Roma. However Berisha failed to impress in Italy, and a loan to Panathinaikos also proved unsuccessful. Now the young Swede will get the chance to impress in Netherlands, and has already showed his ability in pre-season, scoring four goals.

Prediction

Cambuur have a squad that is too good to get dragged into the relegation battle, and they will be exciting to watch with a number of young talents looking to impress. However its difficult to see them battle with the clubs above them for a top ten slot, and they may just have to settle for mid-table comfort once again.

Predicted position: Not 12th, but not better…..13th




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