Eredivisie 2024/25 Preview: Fortuna Sittard

The 2023-24 season was Fortuna Sittard’s sixth consecutive campaign in the top-flight, and their 10th-placed Eredivisie finish was the best league positioning in the club’s 56 year history.

Now, with former Groningen, Feyenoord, and ADO Den Haag utility man Danny Buijs in for his second season in charge in Sittard-Geleen, the 2024-25 term presents itself as a challenge – can the Fortunezen equal 10th spot or even breach the top 10?

Last season’s position: 10th

Transfers In: Josip Mitrovic (HNK Gorica), Shawn Adewoye (RKC Waalwijk), Syb van Ottele (SC Heerenveen), Jasper Dahlhaus (FC Eindhoven), Makan Aiko (Le Mans FC), Ryan Fosso (FC Vaduz), Darijo Grujcic (SC Austria Lustenau), Onur Demir (Alanyaspor), Robyn Esajas (ADO Den Haag), Luka Tunjic (Holstein Kiel), Mattijs Branderhorst (FC Utrecht), Ante Erceg (Free Agent)

Transfers Out: Inigo Cordoba (Burgos CF), Deroy Duarte (PFC Ludogorets Razgrad), Michael Verrips (FCV Dender EH), Nathan Markelo (Roda JC), Tom Hendriks (Helmond Sport), Tunahan Tasci (Konyaspor), Remy Vita (Amiens SC, Loan), Mouhamed Belkheir (La Louviere, Loan), Robyn Esajas (MVV Maastricht, Loan), Arianit Ferati (Released), Oguzhan Ozyakup (Released), Dimitrios Siovas (Released)

Overview: Fortuna’s transfer window has been interesting to say the least, with 12 new signings. Where last term, Kaj Sierhuis was the main man with 12 league goals in 31 appearances, he now has a little help through some Croatian connections. Two signings from the Croatian Football League in Ante Erceg (34) and Josip Mitrovic (24) entering on either wing should make Buijs’ side slightly less reliant on Serhuis. Last term, Erceg scored seven goals and assisted two in 21 appearances. Granted, he was used primarily as a striker, he can also play left-wing. With Serhuis’ troublesome knee injury, that ability up top could be useful.

For Mitrovic, he played 32 matches for Gorica last season and grabbed four goals and four assists. At 24, he enters the heavily developmental Eredivisie at a great time. He also makes up for the departure of Inigo Cordoba to Burgos, and if he can surpass the Spaniard’s output of four goals and two assists in 33, then he’ll likely win over the Sittard Stadion in no time.

Out of the other signings that have arrived against a wave of exits, central defenders Syb van Ottele (22) and Shawn Adewoye (24) offer valuable rotation for Rodrigo Guth. However, with the aforementioned highlighting of forward options, that takes a little more importance. Fortuna scored the fourth-least amount of goals in the league last term, showing just how important Serhuis was.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield