Veerman Says Dortmund Switch Restored His Netherlands Place
The short version
- Veerman returned to the Netherlands squad after a two-year absence under new head coach Xavi.
- The 27-year-old joined Dortmund from PSV for a €22m release clause fee on a deal to June 2031.
- He has seven competitive appearances; Dortmund have won every match he has played except the DFL-Supercup loss to Bayern Munich.
- The Dutch face Germany in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.
The midfielder, back in the Dutch squad after two years away, believes his summer move to the Bundesliga made the difference.
Joey Veerman says his offseason switch to Borussia Dortmund is the reason he is back in the Netherlands setup. The 27-year-old midfielder, who left PSV Eindhoven for Germany this summer, is in line to play his first international in two years when the Dutch meet Germany in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, a match that will also mark the start of the Xavi era with the national team.
Veerman won 16 senior caps under Ronald Koeman across 2023 and 2024 and played in all six Dutch games at Euro 2024. His most recent outing for his country was the 2-1 semi-final loss to England, played in Dortmund, and he was not part of the squad for the 2026 World Cup held in North America.
Dortmund secured the transfer by meeting a €22 million release clause in his PSV contract and tied him to a five-year deal through June 2031. Brought in to add composure and passing quality in central midfield, he has worked his way into Niko Kovac's rotation and has seven competitive appearances so far, with the club winning every game he has played except the DFL-Supercup loss to Bayern Munich.
At a press gathering on Tuesday, the player described the transfer as a strong career decision. Dortmund, he noted, use two holding midfielders, which suits his game, and he hopes the national team will use him in that same role.
