Following the success of our Transfer Analysis Report about the Belgian Pro League and the Portuguese Primeira Liga, we conducted a similar analysis for the Eredivisie, focusing on player development and scouting efficiency.
As in our previous reports, we believe that clubs with well-defined player profiles and philosophies are better equipped to find players that fit their systems. While not all clubs need a rigid game model, having core principles and values is essential.
In this report, we analyze the efficiency of the Scouting and Recruitment process in the Eredivisie, a league known for developing young talents and selling them to bigger European leagues, while maintaining relatively low transfer spending.
Methodology
- Data Collection: We gathered data on all incoming transfers for the 2023-2024 season, including transfer values and ages.
- Minutes Played: We calculated the percentage of total minutes each transfer played during the regular season.
- Team Metrics:
- Average percentage of total minutes played by transfers.
- Average age of the transfers.
- Price-weighted average percentage of total minutes played, where the weight is proportional to the transfer value.
Key Findings
- Overall league percentage: Overall the teams are closer together then in other leagues, with a slightly lower average percentage (33%).
- PSV's Efficiency:
- PSV Eindhoven leads in efficiency with an average percentage of total minutes played by transfers at 41.3%, and a weighted percentage of 43.7%. Their investment in young talent has paid off, highlighting a successful scouting and recruitment strategy.
- Balanced Investments:
- Almere City FC shows an average percentage of 41.2% despite no transfer fees, indicating effective utilization of their resources.
- Sparta Rotterdam achieved 40.7% average minutes played with a weighted percentage of 47%, showing that their more significant investments made a substantial impact.
- Strategic Youth Development:
- Ajax Amsterdam, with a weighted percentage of 33.6%, invested heavily in young players. Although they didn't play many minutes this season, these players align with Ajax's strategy of long-term development.
- SC Heerenveen, with a lower percentage (23.8%), reflect investments in future potential rather than immediate impact.
- Experienced Signings:
- FC Utrecht and Feyenoord Rotterdam have balanced their strategies with average ages around 24 and significant investments. Utrecht's average percentage is 34.7% with a weighted percentage of 27.8%, showing mixed results.
- Impact of High-Value Transfers:
- Fortuna Sittard's weighted percentage of 53.6% indicates a significant impact from their high-value transfers, despite an average percentage of 28.9%. This reflects effective targeting of impactful players.
- Clubs with Low Spending:
- Clubs like Heracles Almelo, PEC Zwolle, and RKC Waalwijk, which spent little to nothing on transfers, show varying success in integrating new players, with percentages around 28-38%.
Conclusion
This analysis provides insights into the scouting and recruitment efficiency of Eredivisie clubs. While some clubs focus on immediate impact, others invest in long-term potential, reflecting diverse strategies.
Understanding these approaches helps in evaluating whether clubs are effectively aligning their signings with their principles and styles of play. As always, these findings require nuanced interpretation, considering factors like injuries and long-term development goals.
If you want to know how MyGamePlan helps clubs to increase the impact of their signings with the creation of profiles, follow this link.
