Highly rated Dutch-Nigerian striker Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld has joined Belgium giants Club Brugge from Dutch second division side NEC Nijmegen according to a statement from the club.
21 year old will join Club Brugge for a fee in the region of 500,000 Euros but it could potentially rise significantly if the striker delivers on the promises that made him a hit in the Dutch second division.
Born to a Nigerian father in Lagos, the forward who is also eligible to play for the Netherlands was two seasons ago recommended to the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr by Liverpool Nigerian forward Taiwo Awoniyi.
Awoniyi spent the 2016/2017 season on loan at NEC Nijmegen and in an exclusive interview with Owngoalnigeria.com urged Nigeria to beat Netherlands to the race to win the international future of the then 20 year old who is yet to be capped by either nation.
” He ( Arnaut) is a great talent. I hope he plays for Nigeria ahead of the Netherlands. We train together on a regular so I know what he can do. He is a prospect we can’t afford to lose”, Awoniyi exclusively told Owngoalnigeria.com in September last year.
” On my part I have done my bit in making him see the advantage in playing for Nigeria. What is left is for the NFF to make it official”, reads the remaining part of his chat.
A strong showing at Club Brugge could spark an international tug of war for his future particularly as the Dutch are also in the process of rebuilding their national teams after the disappointment of missing out on qualification for the last European championship and the World Cup in Russia.
