Sport
£3m man labelled a ‘fantastic’ signing for new club after Rangers exit
Sam Lammers is proving to be a ‘fantastic’ signing for FC Utrecht with the £3 million Rangers loanee finding form again since returning to the Dutch Eredivisie.
As Utrecht made history last weekend – the Stadion Galgenwaard outfit now in the midst of their longest domestic unbeaten run in over three decades – Sam Lammers continued to roll back the years himself.
For the first time since that stellar spell at Heerenveen back in 2019, the former PSV Eindhoven and Atalanta forward is influencing games on a weekly basis. And while Lammers did not add to an impressive tally of four goals or assists in six Eredivisie appearances on Sunday, the Rangers loanee’s key role in a record-breaking 1-0 win away to FC Twente did not go unnoticed.
Sam Lammers shining after Rangers exit
Kees Luijckx, the former AZ Alkmaar, Excelsior and ADO Den Haag defender, describes Lammers as a ‘fantastic’ addition to an Utrecht side who have soared into the top half of the table after three wins in a row.
“Lammers is very important for the team,” Luijckx tells Voetbal Primeur. “Not only when he scores, but also to continue playing football with.
“All in all, it was really a great performance by Jans and his team (vs Twente). That they have recovered so well after such a period in which they were at the bottom.”
Lammers looked like a man who’s confidence had face-planted into rock bottom during that miserable stint at Rangers. Those insipid performances in Glasgow are in stark contrast to the Dutchman’s current displays, the £3 million summer signing showcasing his new-found self-belief as he lashed in his first Utrecht goal from the tightest of angles against Fortuna Sittard earlier in February.
A man reborn in the Eredvisie
“(An Ibrox exit) was unexpected, after a period with a lot of playing time,” Lammers tells Voetbal International. “I had signed a four-year a contract in Scotland with the intention of staying in the same place for a long time.
“I didn’t have to leave either. FC Utrecht registered (their interest) and immediately took action. That played a role in my choice last month.
“The decisive action, the positive conversations with Jordy Zuidam (technical director) and Ron Jans (head coach), the confidence I felt, the club as a whole, my ambition to continue playing full matches every week…
“I want continue helping Utrecht secure a place in the rankings where the club belongs. That means reaching European football,” Lammers adds. “I want to show what I have learned in recent years, I want to increase my returns and make a good contribution to FC Utrecht.”
“We have not looked beyond this half of the season. We will see what happens next after this season. But, during the period that I am here, I want to have an impact.”
