We are currently half way through the season in the Eredivisie and there has been a number of stand out performers. Michael Bell picks his top 20 stars of the season so far.

de jong psv aaLuuk de Jong

After the departures of Memphis Depay, and Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer, PSV Eindhoven not only needed a new leader but also a match-winner.

Coach Phillip Cocu turned to striker Luuk de Jong, and the 25-year-old has not let his coach down so far. De Jong is excelling as captain and also sits atop the Eredivisie goalscorers chart with 14 goals in 16 league games.

If PSV are to retain their title at the end of the season then De Jong will undoubtedly be a major influence.

tannane hhhOussama Tannane

Heracles have been the surprise package of the season so far, loftily sitting in fourth place a year after they narrowly escaped relegation. The catalyst for their excellent start to the season has been winger Oussama Tannane, who netted seven goals and added three assists in eleven games.

Tannane tormented the Eredivisie defences in the first half of the season with his powerful running and fierce left foot, but sadly for Heracles the skillful 21-year-old has moved abroad. Tannane came under interest from the likes of Galatasaray, Malaga and Atalanta before finalizing a deal with French side Saint Etienne.

How will the Almelo club now cope without their star man and top scorer?

tete ajaKenny Tete

At the start of the season, Ricardo van Rhijn was the undoubted number one right back in Amsterdam, but he has been outed by Tete, who has been a revelation for Ajax.

The 20-year-old has impressed with his speed, strength and reading off the game, which has not only shored up the Ajax back four, but also saw the defender make his debut for Netherlands national team.

pereiro psv ajaGaston Pereiro

Pereiro took a few months to adjust to the Eredivisie after his move from Nacional in the summer, but the Uruguayan burst into Phillip Cocu’s side when his double downed Ajax in October.

Since then the 20-year-old has been outstanding and is currently keeping both Adam Maher and Luciano Narsingh rooted to the bench. Pereiro’s movement and touch around the box are of the highest order, and the attacker will undoubtedly add to his seven league goals before the season is over.

The Boeren definitely have a future superstar on their books with Pereiro.

kuyt fey azDirk Kuyt

A hero’s welcome awaited Kuyt on his return to De Kuip in the summer from Fenerbahce, but some doubters wondered if the 35-year-old could still make an impact at the club.

Those doubts have now been quashed with Kuyt scoring 13 goals and adding three assists in seventeen games. The attacker’s goals and impact from the wing have seen Feyenoord become undoubted title contenders, and the former Liverpool star is dreaming of lifting the Eredivisie trophy with his beloved club.

A leader on and off the pitch for Feyenoord, Kuyt’s return to the Eredivisie has been a joy to watch so far.

becker pecSheraldo Becker

The 20-year-old made an impression at the end of last season when he joined PEC Zwolle on loan from Ajax and Becker has gone from strength to strength in this campaign so far.

The winger has not only scored three times, and assisted four goals in thirteen games, but he has formed a deadly partnership with striker Lars Veldwijk, which has seen PEC Zwolle remain in the hunt for the top four spots.

If Becker continues to shine this season then there is no doubt Frank de Boer will have to give him a chance in the Ajax first team next season.

ziyech ttweHakim Ziyech

FC Twente’s season has been a horror show so far, but in Hakim Ziyech the cash-strapped club have one of the league’s outstanding performers.

The midfielder has carried on his excellent form from last season, with Ziyech directly involved in 15 of Twente’s 18 goals in this campaign. The Moroccan has scored ten and assisted in five.

Sadly for the Enschede club, the relationship with their star is turning sour, with Ziyech recently stripped of the captaincy after making disrespectful comments towards Twente in an interview.

A January move away from the Eredivisie seems inevitable, and that could prove costly to Twente in their bid for survival.

hall uuuSebastien Haller

Utrecht found themselves an absolute bargain when they snapped up Haller for around €1 million in the summer after an impressive loan spell last season.

The French striker has proved to be one of the deadliest finishers in the Eredivisie this season, and currently has 11 goals in 16 league appearances.

This has seen the tall 21-year-old linked with a move to England, but Utrecht are confident they can keep Haller a least until the summer. The club wil undoubtedly make a big profit should the striker force a move though.

santos nec kkChristian Santos

NEC Nijmegen returned to the Eredivisie in the summer with the goal of just staying up, but halfway through the season they currently sit 6th and could challenge for the European play-off spots.

One of the major reason’s for their excellent start to the season has been the form of Venezuelan forward Christian Santos, who has been a revelation with 11 goals in 17 games.

A deadly finisher in the box, Santos will likely lead NEC to a comfortable position at the end of the season before a move abroad beckons.

karsdorpRick Karsdorp

Who is Netherlands best right back at the moment? With Daryl Janmaat, Gregory van der Wiel, Kevin Diks, and Kenny Tete, the Oranje are stacked in the position. However the best of all may be just be Rick Karsdorp, who has been excellent for Feyenoord this season.

A converted midfielder, Karsdorp forced his way into the Feyenoord first team last season and he hasn’t looked back since, becoming one of the most important players for the club.

The 20-year-old is strong at the back, but he does most of his good work going forward and is a constant danger with his crossing ability, which has seen him assist six times this season. If the youngster continues his rapid progress then it will only be a matter of time before he takes his place in the Oranje side.

henriksen azMarkus Henriksen

AZ may be having a difficult season so far, but Markus Henriksen is undoubtedly having his best spell for the club.

The Norwegian has turned into an excellent box to box midfielder for the club and has added goals to his games, netting seven in the Eredivisie, and six in other competitions.

Coach John van den Brom will be desperate to hold onto his star player, but reports in Italy are linking Napoli with a swoop for the 23-year-old, who has been with AZ since 2013.

diks vitsKevin Diks

A future star of the Netherlands, Diks is excelling in his first full season in the first team at Vitesse.

He is only nineteen, but Diks looks like he has been playing in the league for years, with his strong defending and confidence to go forward with the ball.

The explosively quick right back has already netted twice and assisted three times for the club this season.

bazoer ajajajRiechedly Bazoer

Earlier this month the young midfielder confirmed that Barcelona had been attending his matches, and its no wonder why when watching Bazoer in action.

The powerful midfielder broke into the Ajax first team last season and has continued to excel for Frank de Boer’s side in this campaign. A strong runner, passer and tackler, Bazoer has it all to become one of the best all round midfielders in Europe, and Ajax fans should enjoy every moment of watching him play while he is still in Amsterdam.

gustafsonSimon Gustafson

There wasn’t much fanfare when Feyenoord snapped up the young Swede from BK Hacken in the summer, but it may have turned out to be the signing of the season so far.

Keeping both Lex Immers and Tonny Vilhena on the bench, Gustafson has been excellent in Feyenoord’s midfield, scoring three times and adding seven assists in nine Eredivisie appearances.

The 21-year-old has orchestrated Feyenoord’s strong start to the campaign and will play a strong part in the second half of the season as the Rotterdam club chase the title.

baraziNacer Barazite

After signing for Utrecht from Monaco in 2014, Barazite failed to make a real impact for the club and had been in and out of the starting eleven in the past few seasons.

However that has all changed this season with the attacker finally fulfilling the promise that saw Arsenal sign him as a youngster, with Barazite scoring five goals and adding four assists this season.

The 25-year-old has formed an excellent partnership with Sebastien Haller in the Utrecht attack, and its a duo that could fire the club to the European places by the end of the season.

riedewald ajaJairo Riedewald

Its easy to forget that the Ajax centre back is only 19 when you watch him command the Amsterdam sides defence so confidently.

A revelation in Frank de Boer’s side last season, Riedewald is now one of the first names on the teamsheet and a regular in the Dutch national team squad.

Big, strong, quick, and an excellent reader of the game, Riedewald is the next top centre back to emerge in Amsterdam and the finest defender at the club since Jan Vertonghen left.

larsson heeSam Larsson

Heerenveen may be having a poor campaign, but winger Sam Larsson continues to impress for the club and is gaining attention from around Europe.

The Swede’s pace and trickery on the wing has been one of the only highlights for the Frisians, who currently sit eleventh in the table, and the club have put a big price tag on his head to fight off interest from PSV and Italian side Atalanta.

Larsson has three goals and two assists so far this season.

rashica vit herMilot Rashica

Chelsea loanee’s usually steal the limelight at Vitesse Arnhem, but the player who has made the strongest impression for the club so far this season is Rashica, who joined in the summer for a minimal fee from Kosova Vushtirri.

The 19-year-old Albanian has proved to be an instant hit in Arnhem, and a major hassle for each defence he faces in the Eredivisie.

Tricky, unpredictable and with an eye for goal, Rashica already has six goals and three assists in his first Eredivisie season.

klaassen akaaDavy Klaassen

Ajax’s captain fantastic is having another stellar season in Amsterdam and is leading the club towards the Eredivisie title.

The 22-year-old has not only netted seven goals in 17 games, but also added six assists to prove once again that he is the main man in the Amsterdam Arena.

Thankfully for Ajax’s fans, Klaassen has no intention of leaving the club any time soon, despite interest from abroad, and they can enjoy the midfielder in action for at least another six months.

duplan willEdouard Duplan

ADO Den Haag have been quietly going about their business this season and currently sit 10th in the table after a much improved campaign from last year.

Duplan signed for Henk Fraser’s club in the summer and the Frenchman has been crucial in insuring ADO Den Haag are clear of the drop zone. The winger has sparked a perfect partnership with striker Mike Havenaar and currently has seven assists from 15 games, along with two goals.




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