Xavi Hernandez has made his first official Netherlands selection, bringing four Serie A players into a squad for a demanding Nations League window that will test the Oranje across several fronts.
The decision
The Spanish coach, formerly a defining figure for Barcelona as both player and manager, has named a group for home-and-away meetings with Serbia as well as away trips to Germany and Greece.
Italy is represented by Roma forward Donyell Malen, Lazio midfielder Taylor, Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners and Napoli winger Noa Lang. Malen arrives as Serie A’s leading scorer, having operated through the middle for Roma, although his Netherlands appearances have more often come from a wide position.
Taylor’s inclusion follows an encouraging start at Lazio, where he has adapted to the role assigned to him by Gennaro Gattuso. Koopmeiners and Lang are the more unexpected Serie A names. Both had uncertain summers before the transfer window closed, but have since been restored to prominence: Koopmeiners at Juventus under Luciano Spalletti and Lang at Napoli under Massimiliano Allegri.
The selection was announced as a 26-man squad, although the position-by-position list contains 28 names.
Netherlands squad
- Goalkeepers: Bart Verbruggen, Kjell Roefs, Mark Flekken
- Defenders: Jurrien Timber, Denzel Dumfries, Micky van de Ven, Jan Paul van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremie Frimpong, Jorrel Hato, Nathan Aké, Lutsharel Geertruida
- Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch, Tijjani Reijnders, Joey Veerman, Gjivai Zechiel, Taylor, Teun Koopmeiners, Quinten Timber
- Forwards: Crysencio Summerville, Justin Kluivert, Cody Gakpo, Ruben van Bommel, Brian Brobbey, Donyell Malen, Noa Lang
