Borussia Dortmund midfielder Joey Veerman has revealed that he joined the Bundesliga side because it's a 'very big club'.
The 27-year-old joined the BVB on a €22 million transfer from PSV Eindhoven last month and has adapted to life in a new country rather seamlessly.
Following departures of midfielders such as Julian Brandt and Salih Ozcan, Dortmund sought to reshape their engine room and were in the hunt for an anchorman who could orchestrate plays from the deep.
Veerman was quickly identified as a potentially good option for that role and roped him in for a reasonable fee towards the closing stages of the summer transfer market.
Despite having missed the entirety of their preseason campaign, the 27-year-old has made a good impression for his vast and expansive passing range and ability to pick out teammates from tight spaces.
He's now revealed the reason for joining Dortmund despite having multiple options to choose from.
"I chose Dortmund because it's a very big club. That's what I like. It's very intense here. For example, how Hoffenheim pressed us was different to the Eredivisie."
However, this new transfer has posed a new challenge, which is being away from his family in Volendam, Netherlands as Veerman hopes to see them again soon.
"My family and my friends are living in Volendam. Now I am in Germany, it's difficult to go back often. I think it's been six weeks since the last time I was in Volendam. Maybe, in a few weeks, I’ll go back to see my friends and family."
Speaking of his new life in Dortmund, the 27-year-old has revealed that he prefers to stay indoors:
"I just stayed in the house with my girlfriend and my two kids. We found a house after a few days already. So the first impressions have been very good for me."
After coming through the ranks at Volendam's youth side, Veerman had spent his entire professional career in the Netherlands until Borussia Dortmund came along.
The transfer has also proved invaluable in reviving his international career as new Dutch manager Xavi has recalled him to the national team.
After a fallout with manager Ronald Koeman, Veerman's time with the Netherlands had been frozen and he hadn't played a game since the Euro 2024 semi-final loss against England over two years ago.
He will now be aiming to find his way back into their XI in the upcoming international window as the Oranje kick-start their 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign.
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