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The Netherlands deserve plenty of credit for the invention and widespread use of total football. Famous Dutch coach Rinus Michels developed the concept, and Johan Cruyff later popularized it. Total football is a system where each player is expected to play in any given position based on the game's dynamics.
Despite being a massive part of football history with this concept, the Dutch have never won the FIFA World Cup. Their best efforts have seen them bag the runners-up medal in 1974, 1978 and 2010. They have also won only one European Championship triumph back in 1988.
The Netherlands have a strong spine but are light on the wings
The Netherlands have some great players in their current squad. With the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij and Jurrien Timber, they have a potent backline. However, their team lacks in certain departments, with the most glaring absences on the left flank of defense and both wings in attack.
In this article, we will take a glance at five Dutch players who have the highest market value.
#5 Memphis Depay - €45 million
Memphis Depay is the fifth-most valuable player within the current Netherlands squad. The Dutchman joined Barcelona last summer on a free transfer. He has had a few ups and downs in his career but has been quite prolific since leaving Old Trafford back in 2017.
Depay has scored ten goals and provided a couple of assists in 29 matches across all competitions for Barcelona, while also suffering a couple of injuries. He is currently valued at €45 million, which could be due to his short contract duration. Although he is not the most valuable Dutch player, he is among the most important cogs in their machine.
The former Lyon talisman has scored 39 goals in 77 appearances for the Dutch national team and has also laid out 29 assists. Robin van Persie's national record of 50 goals is under threat due to the 28-year-old's ruthless finishing ability.
#4 Arnaut Danjuma - €50 million
Arnaut Danjuma is a versatile attacker who plays on either flank as well as upfront. Although his preferred position is on the left wing, Danjuma has often been deployed as a centre-forward this term. The Villareal number 15 has a market value of €50 million.
As mentioned earlier, the Netherlands aren't gifted with world-class wingers at the moment. However, if this season's form is anything to go by, Danjuma is likely to change that perception in due course. The former AFC Bournemouth forward has been on fire this term for the Yellow Submarine.
Danjuma has scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 27 La Liga and UEFA Champions League appearances for Villarreal. His incredible form has made bigger European clubs take notice. The winger has also recorded two goals and one assist in his short national career spanning six caps so far.
#3 Virgil van Dijk - €55 million
Liverpool broke the bank to sign Virgil van Dijk for a whopping €84.65 million in 2018. Since then, he has gone on to become the best centre-back in the world. The Liverpool number 4 has played 168 matches for the Reds and has been a massive reason for their recent success.
Aged 30, he has a market value of €55 million. The Dutch captain has played 45 times for his country. The Netherlands dearly missed him during Euro 2020 due to a long-term injury, exiting the tournament in the Round of 16 against the Czech Republic.
He also missed 45 matches for Liverpool last season, which had a massively negative impact on their season.
With him back in the squad this term, Jurgen Klopp's side have already won the Carabao Cup and have a great chance of winning an unprecedented quadruple. The former Southampton defender's impact on club and country can never be overstated.
#2 Frenkie de Jong - €70 million
Frenkie de Jong was part of the AFC Ajax side that reached the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League semi-final. The Dutch outfit overcame strong challengers in the form of Real Madrid and Juventus during their fairytale run. Barcelona then signed de Jong for €86 million at the end of that campaign.
The central midfielder is one of the finest players in his position. He is equally comfortable on and off the ball, which allows him to play as a defensive midfielder or in a slightly advanced role. The 24-year-old has been ever-present since he arrived at the Camp Nou.
De Jong boasts of a market value of €70 million, which ranks him joint-first among national teammates and second among Barcelona players. He has accumulated 39 caps at the international level and 129 appearances across competitions for the La Liga giants.
#1 Matthijs de Ligt - €70 million
Matthijs de Ligt was teammates with Frenkie de Jong at Ajax. While de Jong opted to move to Spanish shores, de Ligt packed his bags and left for Turin. Juventus splashed the cash to acquire de Ligt's services in 2019 for a fee of €85.50 million.
The Juventus centre-back's value is currently estimated to be €70 million, on par with de Jong's. A few injuries, including a shoulder issue that ruled him out for three months, have curtailed his growth. However, de Ligt is still one of the most exciting defensive talents globally.
De Ligt has taken the field 109 times for The Old Lady. With Chiellini and Bonucci in the dressing room, the 22-year-old couldn't have asked for better guidance. As far as national team appearances go, the Netherlands number 3 has 34 caps.
