Deyovaisio Zeefuik has admitted that he is ‘very happy’ to finally seal his move to Hertha Berlin, while speaking to the club’s official website after snubbing Southampton.
With Kyle Walker-Peters seemingly on the verge of turning an impressive loan spell from Tottenham into a permanent deal, Saints fans could be forgiven for thinking they have pulled off a superb bit of business.
And perhaps they have.
The right-back spot has been a problem area for Southampton all season after all. As Walker-Peters showed from January to July, he has the ability at both ends of the pitch to make the position his own.
But Zeefuik, a Holland U21 international whose swashbuckling style means he is tailor-made for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s counter attacking approach, would have arrived for a fraction of the fee Southampton are paying for another arguably overpriced Englishman.
According to Kicker, a nouveau-riche Hertha Berlin outfit have paid just £3.5 million to secure his signature.
A transfer saga with more twists and turns than an M Night Shyamalan mind-bender is finally, mercifully, over.
“Hertha demonstrated a clear plan in my talks with the club and showed a lot of interest. This club’s ambition corresponds to my own, so I’m very happy to be coming to Berlin,” said Zeefuik.
The former Ajax youngster has been a vocal figure in Dutch football of late, making it clear throughout the summer that the German capital was his preferred destination, despite Southampton offering him a chance to play in the Premier League.
In fact, he went as far as to lambast Gronginen director Mark-Jan Fledderus for trying to push him towards St Mary’s (RTV Noord).
In other news, Report: £62m Tottenham target will be made available if double deal takes place