Albion new-boy Ryan Donk has revealed how long-time friend Gianni Zuiverloon persuaded him to move to the Hawthorns.
Donk joined the Baggies this week in a season-long loan from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar.
He pointed to Holland U21 team mate Zuiverloon, who has already made a fine impression in two games for Albion, for selling the transfer to him.
Donk and Zuiverloon have played together for Netherlands age-group teams since their mid-teens. Donk sought his friend’s advice on Albion’s offer and also spoke to another old friend in Baggies striker Sherjill MacDonald.
Donk said: “I have known Gianni for five years so I think it’s a good choice to come here. He told me it is a family club but if you come here for the experience you can go far.
“Everything is a bit of a rush at the moment but I hope I am going to do really well here. I spoke to Gianni and Sherjill and they told me it was a really good club, especially for young players.”
Donk revealed that ultimately the lure of testing himself in the Premier League was too good to turn down.
He has been impressed with his first experience of life at Albion.
He said: “For every little boy it is a big plan to play in the Premier League. It is very big here. In Holland we had two training fields and here we have nine so it is a big step up.”
“Everything is really big here. I want to learn about the Premier League and I have a year on loan now to learn about it.”
Donk could make his debut against West Ham at the Hawthorns in nine days, although he is likely to face at least a three-way fight for centre-back places, with fellow new-boy Jonas Olsson and Leon Barnett.
The Baggies have not given up hope that Abdoulaye Meite will recover from a calf injury in time to stake a claim.
3 Comments
read that dings a big set up,,thats why we get the gems and you get the scrap at little old wolves,,,MOWBRAYS PLAYING THE GEMS IN THE PREM,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOH YES..
WORCESTERBAGGIE can you read??
He said the Premier league is big not the Albion (I’m not saying your a small club by the way)
He said the Albion is a family club.
So Worcester please read the whole thing before writing silly comment like yours, as your making yourself look very silly (again).
I think you’ve made some very good signing, i’ve not heard of any, but if you go on ToMo track record i’m sure they’ll turn out very good.
You dont get in the Holland U21’s if your no good, so good luck for the season and hope to see you there next season.
Worcester, note the comment, “it is a family club but if you come here for the experience you can go far”. Which means ‘if I am a success and Man.Utd. come in for me, I’m off’. Of course that would happen but in return we get big bucks and then find another gem plus a huge profit. TM knows all this too and is a realist. We have the option to buy after the loan so we win either way.