New striker top priority for SC Cambuur: 'You need goals in the Eredivisie'
While players and coaches of SC Cambuur enjoy their well-earned holidays, technical manager Lars Lambooij is putting in overtime. With eight departing players and a debut in the Eredivisie on the horizon, the transfer summer for the Leeuwarden club is anything but quiet.
Busiest period of the year at the Kooi Stadion
The dressing rooms of the Kooi Stadion in Leeuwarden stand empty. Yet for Lars Lambooij, this is far from holiday time. The technical manager of SC Cambuur is extremely busy as the club prepares for its new Eredivisie season. 'This is a very hectic period,' Lambooij acknowledges. And not without reason: no fewer than eight players are leaving the club this summer, including captain Mark Diemers and forward Remco Balk.
Striker position the highest priority
Lambooij's primary task is assembling a balanced squad. The spine of the team is already largely in place: goalkeeper Thijs Jansen is between the sticks, centre-backs Jamal Amofa and Ismaël Baouf form the heart of the defence, and in the holding midfield positions Cambuur have Ethan Apkakou, Nicky Souren and Daan Visser as options. But that is where the settled spine ends. Finding a new striker is therefore the club's top priority. 'Ideally you fill the striker position early. That is a priority right now, because you need goals in the Eredivisie. We are actively looking at different types of strikers than the ones we currently have,' Lambooij said.
Wide players and attacking midfielders also on the wish list
In addition to a striker, Cambuur are also looking for attacking midfielders and wide forwards. The departures of Oscar Sjöstrand and Ichem Ferrah have created space on the flanks. 'The intention is to play with wide players and to recruit in that area, because a lot of creativity comes from there. And that can generate value for the future — we have seen that with Sjöstrand and Benjamin Pauwels,' Lambooij explained.
Not fifteen transfers, but room for outgoing moves
Lambooij laughs off analyst Geert Jelle de Vries' suggestion that Cambuur would need fifteen new players. The squad will remain roughly the same size: around 21 or 22 outfield players plus three or four goalkeepers. Beyond the eight players who have already left, a few more outgoing transfers are expected. Nicolas Binder is open to a move, having received too little playing time, and given his age it is crucial that he gets minutes on the pitch. There is also interest in Ismaël Baouf, though Cambuur say they are in no rush to sell. Young talents such as Wiebe Kooistra and Iwan Henstra, who made occasional appearances for the first team in recent seasons, are being discussed in terms of what the best next step in their careers would be.
Bigger budget, comparable to Excelsior
The transfer budget for the Eredivisie season is higher than last year, though Lambooij is not yet ready to reveal exact figures. He does offer an indication: 'I think it is comparable to Excelsior and higher than Telstar. But you also don't yet know what budgets other clubs will be working with.' The message is clear: Cambuur want to enter the Eredivisie with a healthy and competitive budget.
First signing and worldwide data screening
The first summer transfer has already been completed: left-back Morgan Costarelli joins on a free transfer from Lille and will compete with Bram Marsman in Leeuwarden. Thanks to promotion to the Eredivisie, SC Cambuur now have access to significantly more extensive data resources. 'We can filter the entire world, although you have to place everything in context — the country, the level of competition, the style of play,' Lambooij concluded.
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Source: Via NOS (GNews)
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