FC Utrecht’s fourth bid for Van Overeem: Heerenveen’s patience wears thin

FC Utrecht has submitted a fourth bid for Joris van Overeem over the past weekend, according to the Leeuwarder Courant. SC Heerenveen acknowledged receipt of the offer, while the Domstedelingen’s initial bids for the 32-year-old playmaker did not exceed €300,000.

The latest proposal from Utrecht is higher than those early offers but remains modest. FC Utrecht will need to increase their offer significantly to persuade Heerenveen to sanction a transfer. Van Overeem is contracted to Heerenveen until next summer, giving the club leverage in negotiations. The Amsterdam-born midfielder has expressed openness to a return to FC Utrecht.

Van Overeem previously played for FC Utrecht between 2018 and 2022 before joining Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel on a free transfer. He returned to the Netherlands last summer to join Heerenveen, where he was one of the standout performers last season. The Frisians are reluctant to lose the midfielder, who has become a key figure in their team.

Robin Veldman, Heerenveen’s head coach, criticized FC Utrecht’s approach during a conversation with . “They came in with a ridiculously low bid. Our reserve goalkeeper (Nordin Bakker, who was sold to FC Midtjylland) went for more. Meanwhile, Joris was among the top five midfielders in the Eredivisie last year,” he said.

“Come on, that’s not serious. But in the meantime, they’re harassing the lad, while we have a player who has already made his own plans. Just make a realistic offer. These things are frustrating, yes,” Veldman added.