Pieters' potential perfect for PSV

PSV Eindhoven have completed the signing of FC Utrecht talent Erik Pieters with the 19-year-old defender penning a four-year deal with the Dutch champions.

Summer success
Pieters was a member of the Netherlands' Under-21 team that won the UEFA European U21 Championship last summer and has recently been named in the provisional Dutch Olympic squad by coach Foppe de Haan. He made 51 top-flight appearances in the past two seasons, scoring twice in the last campaign. Ironically, PSV's first match of the new Eredivisie season will be away to Pieters' former club while his new team will enter the UEFA Champions League at the Group stage.

'Step forward'
"I definitely see it as a step forward in my career," said the versatile centre-back. "I met our coach and I have a good feeling about things here. I am looking forward to meeting my new team-mates, getting on the pitch and playing football. I like being played at left-back as well – it's my position in the Dutch U21 team. I am a defender with an attacking spirit – I like to be involved in starting good flowing moves."