Sem Steijn, the talented attacking midfielder from FC Twente, has been making significant waves in the Eredivisie, culminating in a high-profile transfer to Feyenoord.
As of November 2024, Steijn was the Eredivisie top-scorer with eight goals in eleven games. By May 2025, he had registered an impressive 23 goals in 28 matches, maintaining his position as the league’s top scorer.
This remarkable offensive output has defined his professional career at both Twente and ADO Den Haag, with an average of a goal every game and a half since his senior breakthrough in 2021. His goalscoring prowess is highlighted by his shot map, showing most attempts coming from inside the penalty box, averaging over three shots per game. Beyond goals, Steijn is technically strong, adept with both feet, and makes quick decisions. While perhaps not blessed with incredible pace, height, or extensive dribbling skills, he effectively utilises his strengths.
Steijn’s stellar performance this season attracted international attention, including clubs like AS Roma and Internazionale.. Journalist Jacopo Aliprandi noted that Steijn even dreamed of a significant leap to a top competition and becoming a star player at Roma, reportedly giving his approval for a potential move there in April 2025. However, despite this interest, Steijn ultimately signed with Feyenoord on a deal until the summer of 2029.
This transfer marks a significant moment for Feyenoord, as Steijn is set to become their new record purchase….The reported fee is €10 million, potentially rising through bonuses, surpassing the previous record of €8.3 million paid for David Hancko. The official confirmation of the transfer came on May 1st and 2nd, 2025, following negotiations between Feyenoord and FC Twente.
While Steijn had signed a contract extension with Twente until 2028 during the winter break, there was an agreement that the club would accept a good transfer offer.
One intriguing aspect of this move is Sem Steijn joining Feyenoord under the guidance of their head coach, Robin van Persie1…. Van Persie, a Dutch football icon, began his youth career at Excelsior before moving to Feyenoord, where he spent three years in the first team, winning the UEFA Cup in 200419. After a tumultuous period at the end of his Feyenoord career, he joined Arsenal20.
Robin van Persie’s Premier League Legacy
Van Persie is widely regarded as a legend of the Premier League, particularly for his time at Arsenal and Manchester United. At Arsenal, he made 248 appearances, scoring 108 goals, with 77 in the Premier League. He was noted for his amazing finishing ability, gifted technique, powerful shooting range (adept with both his left “venom” foot and right), sleek dribbling skills, set-piece taking ability, deft first touch, composure, and versatility, initially playing as a winger before moving into a supporting striker and then a central forward role. He won the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2011-2012 season with an incredible 30 goals.
In 2012, Van Persie made a highly discussed transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United. This move, particularly going between rivals, was controversial, leading some Arsenal fans to see him as “Judas”.
However, he quickly won over the United faithful, having a brilliant debut season. He came to United to win trophies. He scored 30 goals in 48 games in that first season, which helped secure Manchester United’s 20th league title under Sir Alex Ferguson. He won the Golden Boot back-to-back that season.
Van Persie scored 132 goals in 278 games at Arsenal and 58 goals in 105 matches at Manchester United44. He is also the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer with a record 50 goals in 102 international appearances, including his iconic “flying Dutchman” header against Spain in the 2014 World Cup.
Can Steijn Reach That Level?
Comparing Sem Steijn to a Premier League legend like Robin van Persie involves looking at their attributes and career trajectories. Steijn, like a young Van Persie, has shown undeniable goalscoring talent and technical ability.
While Steijn’s current profile notes he isn’t a significant dribbler or exceptionally fast8, Van Persie was known for his sleek dribbling skills and the ability to get past defenders. Van Persie also developed into a physically strong striker with powerful shooting, adept on both feet, and improved aerial ability.
Steijn has a knack for scoring from central areas and relies on clever off-the-ball movement and timing of runs into the box. His goalscoring record in the Eredivisie is currently exceptional. Whether he can translate this form to a higher level or consistently perform over many seasons as Van Persie did remains to be seen. Van Persie overcame persistent injury problems early in his career to reach his peak. Steijn is still young, turning 23 in November 2024, and it’s “intriguing to think how much further he can improve”.
A New Era of Dutch Football?
Steijn’s decision to stay in the Netherlands and join Feyenoord, despite reported interest from Serie A giants like Inter Milan and AS Roma, could be seen by some as indicative of players opting for strong domestic clubs over moves abroad.
Van Persie’s Influence on Steijn’s Development
Having Robin van Persie as his coach presents a unique opportunity for Sem Steijn. Van Persie transitioned into coaching after retiring in 2019, working with Feyenoord’s youth sides before taking senior managerial roles, first at Heerenveen and now at Feyenoord. As a former top striker, known for his technical brilliance, finishing, and understanding of movement and positioning, Van Persie possesses invaluable knowledge that could greatly benefit Steijn, who already excels in goalscoring and off-the-ball movement.
Van Persie understands what it takes to succeed at the highest level, having played with and learned from legends like Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal, and played under managers like Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.
He is now “like a sponge” trying to learn and think as a coach. His experience navigating the pressures of being a key player and top scorer for major clubs in tough leagues gives him a perspective that could be crucial in mentoring Steijn, helping him refine his technique, mental strength (composure was a key attribute for RVP), and overall game to potentially reach the “best version he can be.” While the sources don’t detail Van Persie’s specific coaching plans for Steijn, his background makes him ideally suited to nurture a goalscoring midfielder with high potential.
As Sem Steijn prepares to join Feyenoord for the new season, his performances will undoubtedly be followed closely, both in the context of the Eredivisie games and in anticipation of his development under the tutelage of a Premier League icon like Robin van Persie. Fans will watch to see if this talented midfielder, who topped the Eredivisie statistieken, can follow in his coach’s footsteps and carve out a legendary career of his own.
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