Leeds United’s Pascal Struijk reveals future desire after ex-Man United coach recognises talent
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Leeds defender Pascal Struijk has been named in Louis van Gaal’s provisional 30-man Netherlands squad for upcoming international fixtures later this month.
It is the first time Struijk has been named in the Oranje selection after leaving AFC Ajax and joining Leeds United in 2018.
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Hide AdA former Dutch Under-17 international, Belgian-born Struijk has held off on declaring for a national side due to his dual eligibility but has made no secret his desire to represent the country in which he grew up.
Speaking to ESPN programme De Voetbalkantine, Struijk revealed he discovered he had been selected by Van Gaal at the end of a training session at Thorp Arch, shortly before Leeds travelled to face Brentford.
"If I am selected [for the final squad], I will choose Oranje [the Netherlands]," the defender said.
''It means a lot to me. It's the first time I'm even in the pre-selection.
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Hide Ad"My phone was full of messages and then I felt like a little kid. It's very nice to experience and now let's hope that I'll be in the final selection soon. If I am in that selection, I will also choose the Netherlands. That's my first choice."
"At the time I didn't really know what I wanted to do,” Struijk said, describing the process of applying for a Belgian passport during COVID.
“Then I considered everything, but the Netherlands is my first choice."
Struijk’s call-up coincides with the Netherlands’ preparations for this year’s winter World Cup in Qatar.
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Hide AdThe Oranje face Mateusz Klich’s Poland and Belgium in UEFA Nations’ League fixtures later this month before their World Cup schedule begins against Senegal in late November.
Ecuador and tournament hosts Qatar also join the Dutch in Group A, whose squad Struijk will hope to be a part of.
His status as a recent call-up means the 23-year-old remains an outside bet to make Van Gaal’s selection for the Finals.
The former Manchester United manager is expected to cut a handful of names from his provisional squad in the coming days ahead of this month’s Nations’ League ties.