On Tuesday, Dutch manager Ronald Koeman expressed surprise at the omission of two of his most promising players, Steven Gakpo and Matthijs de Ligt, from the latest Dutch squad. Gakpo and De Ligt were both expected to be included in the squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.
Gakpo is a 21-year-old midfielder who currently plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has been a regular starter for the club since the 2018-19 season and has made over 50 appearances in all competitions. He has also been capped twice by the Netherlands at the senior level.
De Ligt is a 20-year-old defender who currently plays for Juventus in Serie A. He has been a regular starter for the club since joining them in 2019 and has made over 50 appearances in all competitions. He has also been capped 22 times by the Netherlands at the senior level, including captaining the side on several occasions.
Koeman expressed his surprise at the omission of both players from the squad, saying that he had expected them to be included. He also said that he would have liked to have seen them in the squad, as they are both very talented players who could have made a difference for the team.
The omission of Gakpo and De Ligt from the Dutch squad has raised some eyebrows, as many expected them to be included. It remains to be seen if they will be called up for future squads, but it is clear that Koeman believes they have the potential to be key players for the Netherlands in the future.
