Things are looking pretty good for Dutch giants PSV at present.
They are currently leading the pack and sitting at the top of the Eredivisie table, five points clear of second-placed Ajax.
Having won 17 out of 19 fixtures so far – losing just once – it is looking extremely likely that they will now go on and win their fourth league title in the last five years.
Boasting an extremely talented squad, it isn’t the first time that PSV have fielded players who have showcased themselves as top footballers.
Both Luuk de Jong and Hirving Lozano are the top two scorers in the league with 15 and 13 goals respectively, with the pair doing their best to fire their side to the title.
Indeed they’ve had some genius forwards in the past, who have gone on to become household names. Here we take a look at some of the forwards who established themselves at PSV – and what happened to them after leaving Eindhoven.
Ronaldo
Games for PSV: 54
Goals for PSV: 51
The Brazilian wonder that was Ronaldo started his European football adventure with PSV in 1994 following his transfer from Cruzeiro, where he had scored 12 league goals in just 14 games.
A sign of things to come? You bet!
Ronaldo quickly found his feet in Holland and established himself as one of the most dangerous goalscorers on the continent, with a massive return of 51 goals in just 54 games, including 30 league goals in his first season.
With evident world-class ability, Ronaldo moved on to play for some of the best clubs in the world including Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan, where he had a fantastic goalscoring record at each respective club.
His presence for the Brazil national side was unrivalled, scoring 62 goals in 98 games, winning two World Cups and a Golden Boot in 2002.
Such was the talent of the man, he is often referred to as one of – if not – the, greatest striker ever to have played the game.
Romario
Games for PSV: 132
Goals for PSV: 115
It seems only natural when talking about one Brazilian legend to start raving about another.
Like Ronaldo, PSV was Romario’s first taste of European football, when he moved to the Dutch giants in 1988. Quick, clever and a superb finisher, Romario rapidly transformed PSV’s frontline, helping them to win three league titles.
Averaging a goal every 1.14 games for his Dutch employers, the centre-forward made the big move from Holland to Barcelona – much like Ronaldo did – a few years later.
From there, Romario continued his goalscoring exploits and became a title winner with the Catalonian giants. Romario is also a FIFA World Player of the Year winner and he won the 1994 World Cup with Brazil too.
What is it with Brazil and world-class strikers? Whatever the secret, Romario knew it and is rightly considered one of the very best.
Mateja Kežman
Games for PSV: 168
Goals for PSV: 121
The Serbian striker will certainly live long in the memory of ever PSV supporter who was lucky enough to see the goalscoring machine in action between 2000-2004.
Indeed it took just four years for Kezman to write himself down in PSV folklore, but when you see his stats and achievements at the club, it’s understandable why he is considered one of PSV’s finest.
Signed from Partizan, Kezman went on to score 121 goals in total across four seasons, averaging 30 odd goals each campaign.
A winner of two league titles and three Johan Cruyff Shields, Kezman’s greatest season came in 2002/03 where he scored 35 goals in 33 matches, ensuring the club finished as league champions.
Subsequent moves to Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Fenerbahçe and Paris Saint-Germain followed but he was never able to recapture the form he produced throughout his period in Holland.
But man, what a four years!
Memphis Depay
Games for PSV: 124
Goals for PSV: 50
One of few who are still playing professional football on this list, Depay is still a young man who has his whole footballing career ahead of him.
Making his way through the PSV ranks, Depay’s breakthrough season came in 2013 and just a year later, he finished as the league’s top scorer with 22 goals as the club bagged themselves yet another league title.
By the end of the 14/15 campaign, rumours were rife that Manchester United were interested in signing the forward and eventually they got their man for a transfer fee of £25 million.
Signed by fellow Dutchman and then United boss Louis van Gaal, Depay’s time at Old Trafford can only be described as frustrating, with the forward possessing obvious ability but he failed to make an impact in the Premier League.
53 games and seven goals later, Depay made the move to Ligue 1 where he is now doing well with French club Olympique Lyonnais.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Games for PSV: 88
Goals for PSV: 75
One former Manchester United forward onto another but, unlike Depay, Van Nistelrooy is considered a true great in the red half of Manchester.
What is ‘striking’ with all of these names is just how impressive their goalscoring record for PSV was, with this particular Dutchman no different.
Moving to the club in 1998, his three-year period at the club saw him help his side bag two league titles and help himself to an endless supply of goals.
Not blessed with pace, Van Nistelrooy made a living from scoring inside the penalty area, a real poacher of the game with his movement and natural ability to score at times unplayable.
A move to United followed where his reputation only continued to grow, scoring 150 goals in 219 games for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in just five years at the club.
Snapped up by Real Madrid, he went on to win two La Liga titles and scored a further 64 goals in 96 outings for the Spanish giants.
Lethal!
Dries Mertens
Games for PSV: 88
Goals for PSV: 45
Working his way up through the football pyramid, Mertens joined PSV in 2011 and spent just two seasons with the club.
However, in that time, the Belgium international clearly did enough to earn his big-money move to Serie A side Napoli where he remains to this day.
In Holland, Mertens showcased that he was a talent and scored 37 league goals across two campaigns, before then Napoli boss Rafa Benitez decided to bring him to Italy.
His best goalscoring season to date was in 2016/17 when he netted 28 Serie A goals in 35 games. Now 31, Mertens is at his prime and despite Napoli’s qualities, are yet to get their hands on the illustrious Serie A title, often bettered by Juventus.
Goals, international experience and all-round talent, Mertens is just a title or two away from being considered a really great player.
Jürgen Locadia
Games for PSV: 176
Goals for PSV: 62
The exciting young forward made his way through the PSV youth system and established himself in the starting XI soon after.
His best season to date was in 2013/14 where he scored 17 goals in all competitions as PSV went on to lift the league title.
With two titles under his belt already, Locadia managed to secure a big move to England when Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion decided to bring him to the south coast, spending £10 million with £5 million in add-ons.
Locadia scored on his debut against Swansea City and although he is yet to fully take his chance in England, he is still young enough and more importantly, good enough to get more goals for the Seagulls.
Arouna Koné
Games for PSV: 66
Goals for PSV: 21
Not known in England for his excellence in front of goal, Kone was a little more lethal in Holland, managing to average a goal nearly every three matches.
Although not an out-and-out forward by trade – sometimes he has been deployed on the wings because of his pace – Kone reached double figures in both of his first two seasons at the club.
A health scare stopped any momentum in the third season, but moves to Sevilla, Wigan Athletic and Everton followed, where the Ivory Coast international found limited success.
But his form for PSV did get him these transfers so he counts!
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
Games for PSV: 224
Goals for PSV: 84
The man with the longest name in football, there were very few parents queuing up to get this particular goalscorer’s name on the back of their child’s football top, with the cost far too much for most pockets!
The Dutchman scored plenty of goals with FC Twente before getting his move to PSV in 2001, where he spent five years at the club.
Getting into double digits – counting goals in all competitions – in all bar one full season at the club, VOH left the club a little shy of 100 goals when he signed for Scottish giants Celtic.
A good spell with Celtic saw his scoring continue at a similar rate, as well as two title wins and a few cups to boot.
Move to Hull City and Rapid Wein followed before he moved back to PSV to finish his career in the game in 2012.
The post What happened next? 9 forwards that secured high-profile moves after scoring tonnes for PSV appeared first on Squawka News.
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