AZ have boosted their title-chasing squad with the capture of Rogier Molhoek.
AZ Alkmaar have boosted their title-chasing squad with the capture of Rogier Molhoek from RKC Waalwijk.The 24-year-old midfielder has made the move after signing a four-and-a-half-year deal, with Danny Mathijssen heading on loan in the opposite direction.
Molhoek has impressed in the RKC engine room since arriving in 2001 and coach Louis van Gaal has added a player who is also eligible to play in the Uefa Cup.
The midfielder has expressed delight at securing a move to a club of the stature of AZ.
"I am very excited about this," he told the club's website. "It's a big step higher."
Molhoek is under no illusions about the task facing him, as he added: "Of course it will be difficult in the beginning, over here in Alkmaar there are several national team players so I have to work hard on the training field."
Molhoek is looking forward to working under van Gaal.
"The coach played an important role in my decision. I have trained under van Gaal in the pre-training camp for the World Under-19 Cup in Argentina and he impressed me a lot."
Mathijssen can understand why AZ have farmed him out on loan, as he said: "Things are going extremely well for AZ and so there is little need to change.
"But I want to go to the Euro with the Young Oranje and so I have to play.
"I will return at the top at AZ in the summer."
AZ, meanwhile, are closing in on Leicester midfielder Joey Gudjonsson - with reports suggesting an offer could be tabled next week.
"I know Joey well," AZ technical director Marcel Brands told Algemeen Dagblad. "He is an interesting player."
