Confirmed: Bielefeld's van der Hoorn returns to Holland
Former Swansea City starter Mike van der Hoorn's Bundesliga career ended up lasting just over a year and some very small change.
On Wednesday evening, Arminia Bielefeld confirmed that the 28-year-old center halve would return to his native Holland.
Brought in on a free as a means of strengthening the squad for last year's first campaign back in the German top flight, Mike van der Hoorn ended up starting his first 14 Bundesliga fixtures for Bielefeld before ultimately being displaced by Joakim Nilsson at center-back. Following that, the defender only found his way back in the starting XI once under previous coach Uwe Nehaus and later season replacement Frank Kramer.
On Wednesday evening, Arminia Bielefeld confirmed that the 28-year-old center halve would return to his native Holland.
There had been some talk of the DSC keeping van der Hoorn on as a late-game sub for height advantage. Unsurprisingly, the player himself wasn't satisfied with this role and reportedly lodged a transfer request over the summer. Arminia and Erdevisie club FC Utrecht confirmed a switch late Wednesday evening.
A loan for van der Hoorn was the officially announced deal, who remains in contract with Bielfeld through 2023. The nature of the split nevertheless almost surely suggests that a reasonable purchase clause is built in.
"Mike approached us to tell us of his desire to return home," DSC Sporting CEO Samir Rabi noted in a statement on the club's website, "When an opportunity arose on short notice, we complied with this request. We thank him for his commitment in an Arminia jersey and wish him all the very best."
Van der Hoorn began his career at the Utrecht academy. He made one last substitute appearance in Germany this past Saturday during the 0-0 draw with Freiburg.
Brought in on a free as a means of strengthening the squad for last year's first campaign back in the German top flight, Mike van der Hoorn ended up starting his first 14 Bundesliga fixtures for Bielefeld before ultimately being displaced by Joakim Nilsson at center-back. Following that, the defender only found his way back in the starting XI once under previous coach Uwe Nehaus and later season replacement Frank Kramer.
There had been some talk of the DSC keeping van der Hoorn on as a late-game sub for height advantage. Unsurprisingly, the player himself wasn't satisfied with this role and reportedly lodged a transfer request over the summer. Arminia and Erdevisie club FC Utrecht confirmed a switch late Wednesday evening.
A loan for van der Hoorn was the officially announced deal, who remains in contract with Bielfeld through 2023. The nature of the split nevertheless almost surely suggests that a reasonable purchase clause is built in.
"Mike approached us to tell us of his desire to return home," DSC Sporting CEO Samir Rabi noted in a statement on the club's website, "When an opportunity arose on short notice, we complied with this request. We thank him for his commitment in an Arminia jersey and wish him all the very best."
Van der Hoorn began his career at the Utrecht academy. He made one last substitute appearance in Germany this past Saturday during the 0-0 draw with Freiburg.
Der DSC & Mike van der Hoorn gehen getrennte Wege. Der niederländische Innenverteidiger wird auf eigenen Wunsch hin zu seinem Jugendverein und Erstligisten @fcutrecht per Leihe mit Kaufpflicht wechseln. Über die Ablösemodalitäten wurde Stillschweigen vereinbart. #immerdabei pic.twitter.com/Kujv7qcxfp
— DSC Arminia Bielefeld (@arminia) August 18, 2021