Football Season Guide

Eerste Divisie

Netherlands

Eerste Divisie

2026/2027

FC Emmen

In

Jack Cooper-Love (att), Burton), David Voûte (def), Zwolle U21), Vincent Carus (def), Viktoria Koln), Michael Breij (att), Roda), Peter Quispel (mid), PSV U21), Yanis Dede-Lhomme (def), Quevilly), Jasper Huijzer (mid), Achilles Veen), Dirk Baron (gk), Groningen), Mustafa Abdullatif (mid), Hannover II), Sybrand Veldhuis (mid), Cambuur U21), Bryan van Hove (def), Oss), Sam Karssies (gk), Twente - loan)

Out

Luca Unbehaun (r)(gk), Hansa Rostock), Tim Geypens (sp)(def), Bali United), Franck Evina (sp)(mid), Wurzburger Kickers), Koen Bucker (sp)(gk), Koninklijke HFC), Gijs Bolk (sp)(def), De Graafschap), Alaa Bakir (r)(mid), Djenahro Nunumete (sp)(mid), Julius Kade (r)(mid), Dennis Vos (sp)(def), Noam Emeran (r)(mid), Groningen - end of loa), Vicente Besuijen (r)(att), Aberdeen - loan), Juliën Mesbahi (sp)(def), Twente - end of loan), Filimon Gerezgiher (sp)(mid), Elversberg - end of loan), Daniël Beukers (r)(def), Volendam - end of loan), Romano Postema (k)(att), Groningen - end of loan), Lukas Larsen (sp)(def), Brondby - end of loan), Philip Sondergaard (sp)(def), Brondby - end of loan)

Emmen were a rather depressing side to follow last season as they struggled massively to find their form and confidence over the course of the campaign and Menno van Dam seem to be unable to generate a good run of form from his side. They were always beset by injuries and ultimately lacked what was needed to enter the play-off race - a side mired in mid-table obscurity and unable to make the step up. Somewhat strangely, Van Dam has been kept on for his second season and will try to make this team more of a competitive force and at least a bit closer to the playoff spots. Indeed, the Red and Whites have been busy during the summer and brought in numerous players, ranging from youngsters from reserve sides to a few established names. Their biggest addition is certainly Jack-Coopper Love, the English striker who spent the last two seasons on loan at Roda and De Graafschap. Admittedly, his returns there were not great - seven and five goals respectively - but he will be expected to make a massive step up this season when thrusted into a key role up front all the time. He is given the task of filling in for Romano Postema, who was the shining light of this team last season and carried them with number of goals. The rest of the new signings do not really get the races pulsing and it will be a case of wait and see as the coach sifts through to find his best 11 and settle into a system. Apart from Postema, the rest of the departures were hardly going to be missed too much. The other big player in the squad last season was, Casper Staring who emerged as a real mainstay in midfield, and he is staying on for now. But there has been too much churn overall and the new additions just do not inspire too much confidence. Maybe Emmen strike some gold with them and make a strong start but as a whole anything above the lower places in the play-off zone seems like a stretch for this squad.

Target

The squad seems short of real quality and in numbers as well and it is hard to envisage too positive happening - set to be another finish just above or below the 10th spot.