Seasons2021-22Everton News

Work-permit woes scupper late move for Dutch teen

Wednesday, 1 September, 2021 15comments  |  Jump to last

Everton had an agreement in place to sign 18-year-old Luuk Kluiters from AZ Alkmaar, it has emerged, but were unable to secure authorisation from the Department of Employment to allow him to play in the UK.

The defender signed for Lille instead with the Blues left to rue what appears to be the first impact from Brexit on the club's recruitment plans. With the old-style freedom of movement between EU countries gone, players from the Continent are now subject to the same immigration restrictions as from elsewhere in the world.  

Reader Comments (15)

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Tony Everan
1 Posted 01/09/2021 at 17:41:57
Couldn’t we have signed him and loaned him in the EU until he was eligible? I hope it’s not another Haaland moment.
Dave McDowell
2 Posted 01/09/2021 at 17:51:25
The gift that keeps on giving.
Martin Nicholls
3 Posted 01/09/2021 at 18:02:41
I suspect certain other teams (e.g. Chelsea) would have had no problem in obtaining a work permit.
Justin Doone
4 Posted 01/09/2021 at 18:21:25
Another confusing aspect of inconsistent legal selections.
Some clubs appear to get the decisions more often than not.

Young players, non internationals, several clubs collect them easily enough without issue whilst we struggle.

All the more reason to develop our own players. Again, isn't Brands part of this development?

Plenty of talent around the UK and Ireland. We appear to have ignored it. Brands again..?

But..we all knew about Brexit. Why did Brands not raid Europe for good promising youngsters these last few years?

Brands, the ultimate mystery. Like much of Everton. So much potential, so unprepared for anything.

Michael Boardman
5 Posted 01/09/2021 at 19:09:03
Yet Chelski and City can sign players from Mars without a hiccup, loan them around for 12 years, then release them to Motherwell, or such like. The Nigerian winger we had (not Iwobi) is a prime example of someone who would have immediately found a relative from Preston that could back his work permit up had he been signed by those two...plus how did an uncapped Richarlison get into Watford?
Michael Boardman
6 Posted 01/09/2021 at 19:11:38
Plus Klebersen - no deal for us, but OK 10 minutes later for United.
Colin Glassar
7 Posted 01/09/2021 at 19:16:14
Brands is rubbish. He should be the next one out of the door.
Paul Birmingham
8 Posted 02/09/2021 at 08:30:24
It seems like Groundhog Day, history repeating itself. Everton and Marcel Brands surely would have known upfront the prerequisites, bearing in mind the EU rules, but this desperately looks like last-minute business.

But this is Everton, where business matters are generally complicated, and rarely smooth

But hopefully the trio of forwards at Everton can drive on the team this season, and Rafa can get his squad to maintain the levels shown so far.

A few bogey games: Burnley home, QPR away in the Carabao Cup, Villa away, and then Man Utd.

But pound for pound, he's got a good tune out of this squad and the incoming players are proving to be steals. Long may it last.

Ian Jones
9 Posted 02/09/2021 at 08:45:32
I am sure other clubs also have difficulties with work permits for players. It's just we don't follow their news with the same interest.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the transfer window is still open in Russia and Turkey until sometime next week and until 22 Septemer in Portugal.

If that's correct, I assume players can still leave. Not naming any names!

Jamal Paktongko
10 Posted 02/09/2021 at 12:10:01
I call this the "Moyes Curse".

He started all these last-minute crap deals and it has stayed with us ever since.

Back then, we were broke, so last-minute is where we can get all the great bargains.

Too bad Phil Neville is not here anymore. I'd give anything to see Ronaldo getting tackled out of the park.

Alan J Thompson
11 Posted 02/09/2021 at 13:28:59
Jamal (#10);

If you believe it was Moyes's fault, then why is it still happening or could it be somebody who was here then and still is and also had a hand in Onyekuru?

Andrew Ellams
12 Posted 02/09/2021 at 13:31:48
Jamal, after 8 years and the fourth manager plus two DoFs taking us through the summer window since then, you might be pushing it.

Why do so many people think last-minute dealings are an Everton thing? There are loads of clubs at it every year.

Tony Waring
13 Posted 04/09/2021 at 09:55:39
Talking of Onyekuru... anyone know where he is nowadays and is he pulling up trees or sitting on the bench?
Bill Gienapp
14 Posted 04/09/2021 at 10:02:27
Tony (13) - we sold Onyekuru to Monaco, but it looks like he spent most of his time there on loan to Galatasaray. He's since signed with Olympiacos. Doesn't seem like he's done much on the pitch to make us lose any sleep.
Michael Kenrick
15 Posted 04/09/2021 at 10:12:43
Hi Tony,

Since leaving Everton (was he ever really a part of Everton?) and joining AS Monaco for an undisclosed but seemingly ridiculous fee (€13.5M), Henry Onyekuru went on loan back with Galatasaray in the Turkish League for the last two seasons.

His stats for Galatasaray are 8 (2) apps and 1 goal in 2020, and 8 (6) apps with 5 goals in 2021. Better than a kick in the teeth and no locker! (TransferMarkt may show how many games he has sat out on the bench.)

But seemingly not good enough for Monaco, who sold him to Olympiakos just a month ago, on a 4-year deal, for an undisclosed amount (his value dropping drastically to €4.5M per TransferMarkt). Maybe Brands took in a nice chunk of the sell-on fee???

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