It’s the time of year simultaneously most hated and loved by fans: the transfer window is looming. The WSL and other big leagues in Europe have attracted a lot of Dutch players in recent years. The Vrouwen Eredivisie is a developing league, from which the real talents move on to bigger clubs abroad. It currently bolsters a lot of talent and some of that talent could be on the move this summer. Let’s take a look at some of the brightest names in the Eredivisie, who might soon move to a club near you.
Lotte Keukelaar – Ajax
A right winger with a good eye for a cross into the box, a good shot but above all excellent dribbling skills. Sounds like a player many clubs would like to have? Probably.
19-year-old Keukelaar made her debut for the Oranje Leeuwinnen in a friendly match against Indonesia in October but hasn’t been called up to the national team since. She is a raw talent, and clubs will need to work with her to improve aspects of her game. Clubs who want Keukelaar will have to pay a fee, as she’s tied down with Ajax until the summer of 2027.
Toko Koga – Feyenoord
Technically not a Dutch talent, Japanese central defender Koga made quite the impression at the Paris Olympics last summer at just 18 years old. Feyenoord scouted Koga at a partnering Japanese footballing school and invited her over to Rotterdam for a trial. Koga made an impression during a friendly against Eintracht Frankfurt and Feyenoord decided to sign her until the summer of 2026. There is top competition for the Japanese international in the market. Clubs like Wolfsburg, City and Chelsea are allegedly all after Koga.
Kayleigh van Dooren – Free Agent
25-year-old van Dooren has already announced her departure from FC Twente, the club she has played for since 2021. The midfielder was sidelined for a significant amount of time with an ACL injury in 23/24, but has impressed since her return.
In 24/25, she scored 6 goals and made 7 assists in the Vrouwen Eredivisie. She has excellent shooting abilities. It is certain van Dooren is moving abroad, but her new club has not been announced yet. With the amount of FC Twente players the German league has scooped up in recent years, it wouldn’t be surprising if van Dooren went to the neighbours on the eastern border.
Chimera Ripa – PSV Eindhoven
Attacking midfielder Chimera Ripa is a creative and technically sound player. The 23-year-old currently plays for PSV Eindhoven, who challenged FC Twente for the Vrouwen Eredivisie title this past season. Ripa was one of their players of the season, scoring 6 goals in 16 matches.
Ripa made her debut for the Oranje Leeuwinnen in November. She has players like van de Donk and Jill Roord ahead of her, making it hard for her to make her mark in the national team. Clubs who want to sign Ripa will have to bring the big bucks as Ripa signed a contract until 2028 with the Eindhoven club. Ripa has openly flirted with a move to England in interviews, so, who knows?
Lily Yohannes – Ajax
We will now end with the best known player out of the five. Born in the USA but developed footballing wise in the Netherlands, Yohannes recently made the choice to mark her loyalty to the US Women’s National Team, but it was not as if the KNVB (Dutch FA) was not after her.
Yohannes is a massive talent who is currently playing at Ajax. At just 17, she was linked to Chelsea, but more recently reports surfaced that OL Lyonnes were a serious candidate for the signature of the youngster. What makes Yohannes so sought after? It’s her technical ability and positional awareness at just such a young age.
Time will only tell if these players do make a move abroad. The transfer windows open soon and depending on the country, will close at the end of August or the start of September. The Halfway Line will keep you up to date on this summer’s transfers!
