Will Mark van Bommel be Borussia’s first new draft?
The information that are reaching our redaction from the Netherlands are clear: Borussia Dortmund want to sign Mark van Bommel. The Dutch national player is on the top of Bert van Marwijk wish list.The 27 year old midfield player got already his official good bye from PSV Eindhoven, despite having a valid contract till 2005. He won in 4 years three times (2000, 2001 and 2003) the Dutch national title with PSV, became two times football player of the year (2001 and 2002) in the Netherlands. But Eindhoven burdens – like BVB – the financial situation and so it was clear early that top players like Kezman or van Bommel had to leave the club at the end of the season to generate additional money.
The Dutch player with the big fighting heart belongs due to his good constant performances and his ability to score from the distance to the best midfield players in Europe. They only weakness of the Dutch men: He has a tendency of playing a robust tackling game and he was booked already a couple of times which then also did not help the squad.
Mark van Bommel learned to play football at RKVV Maasbracht a club in his Home town. He joined Fortuna Sittard as a youth player were he also started his professional career in 1993. He became an international player under the control of his (today) father in law Bert van Marwijk (Borussia’s new coach). In the season of 1999/2000 he changed to PSV Eindhoven where he scored 45 goals in 292 first division matches. He played his first international game in October 2000, a four – nil victory against Cyprus. Till today he played 25 international for the Netherlands and scored five goals. The European cup 2004 should have been his first big tournament but an injury stopped him just a couple of days before the start of the Euro 2004 in Portugal.
BVB and the neighbours from the forbidden city (Herne West) were besides a couple of British clubs very early interested in Mark van Bommel. But the 6 Mio. Euro transfer fee let Borussia’s interest cool down very fast. Also Assauer (the manager from Schallge) was not willing to pay so much money. He was somewhere around 3 Mio Euro. The manager of the blues was sure that he could close the deal. According to his statement he had already an agreement with the agent of Mark van Bommel, Agent Jansen Sport Promotion. But van Bommel left his decision opened. The entire story took a different way after Bert van Marwijk became Borussia’s new head coach.
At the beginning of the week you could hear from Assauer’s surrounding that they have left the poker game regarding van Bommel after they signed Lincoln from Kaiserslautern. At the same time we got to know that Meier and Zorc have been in Eindhoven and should have offered 3,75 Mio Euro plus a player out of Borussia’s team in exchange for van Bommel. Eindhoven which hoped for a good Euro2004 performance by van Bommel can not hold the price of 6 Mio Euro any longer. Also the injury will cost them 1 – 1,5 Mio Euro. PSV have also signed already Cocu from FC Barcelona. The question will be which player Borussia have offered to the Dutch. It will be probably an offensive player, because Kezman who is leaving the club is an attacking player. Thiago could be an option from Borussia’s perspective. Van Bommel’s Agent is bringing also Bayern Munich back into the game. If the BVB and PSV can not make an agreement they will be back in the race, so Rob Jansen.
How much Bayern will pay for Torsten Frings will be decisive!. Mark van Bommel is sportive and financial wise a first class substitution for Frings.
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