De Jong angry over transfer delay

Twente striker Luuk de Jong has slammed chairman Joop Munsterman for his handling of transfer negotiations with Borussia Monchengladbach.

The striker, who has been at Twente for the past three seasons, believes that his club is stalling to get a bigger offer, and branded the board’s negotiating tactics ‘indecent’.

Before the 6-0 Europa League qualifying win on Thursday over UE Santa Coloma, the supremo discussed the negotiations for the transfer of the 21-year-old De Jong, before reportedly setting a 20 million euros price tag for the Netherlands international.

“I fell off my chair when I heard the words of Munsterman,” De Jong told Voetbal International.

“There have been, in recent months, eight clubs from five countries interested in me.

“A number of those clubs approached us directly and at least three to Aldo van der Laan (member of the Supervisory Board of Twente).

“I also heard Munsterman say that a transfer is negotiable only at 20m euros. This amount is inconsistent with the talks that were held this week between Monchengladbach, my agent Louis Laros and my father.”

The Bundesliga club reportedly submitted a bid of 11m euros along with another €3m in possible bonuses.

Twente first held out for 15m euros, but later settled for 12m euros and 2m euros in bonuses if De Jong would waive his share of 20 per cent 2.5m euros of the transfer fee.

“Today I notified the club that I fully waive the 20 percent, but now Twente said that they also do not want this. I find this practice incredible. I thought this was a decent club to play for.

“The president said that players should get a fair chance, but the reality is different.

“I had heard from other players that the board of Twente negotiates in an indecent manner, and I never believed it. Now, unfortunately I have experienced this myself.

“Gladbach will be a new level for me and it’s where I want to develop further, in view of the Dutch national team. All my competitors for the striker position in Oranje play in foreign clubs in strong leagues.

“I hope Twente still honours the commitment. The club bought me three seasons ago for 900,000 euros and now in three years, it is 14m euros to get me. Such an amount is unprecedented in Netherlands.”