Johan Bakayoko and technical director Earnest Stewart.
Johan Bakayoko is doing well at PSV this season. There was already foreign interest, but the Red Devil opted for an extended stay in Eindhoven. But for how long?
PSV is playing an almost perfect season in the Eredivisie and seems to be winning the title with striking ease. Next summer, Bakayoko wants to shine with the national team at the European Championships. By then he may already have secured his top transfer.
“What he has achieved this season is bizarre,” says technical director Earnest Stewart in the podcast Heet van de Herdgang. Bakayoko has six goals and thirteen assists in all competitions. “Showing such data at this age… I can imagine that, when you are only twenty years old, clubs will come for him. Will it be a cash drawer for PSV this summer? That could be.”
Bakayoko previously attracted interest from PSG and Brentford, among others. The English even made an offer of 40 million. “I have always planned to stay at PSV,” he said about those options in September. “They can offer 40, 50 or 100 million, when my decision is made, my decision is made.” Afterwards, the Red Devil said: “I consciously made the choice to stay with PSV last summer. The circumstances are perfect for me to further develop myself. I have a clear plan and also see how a guy like Cody Gakpo did it. I try to emulate that a bit.”
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Trainer Peter Bosz certainly sees a great future for the 20-year-old attacker. Although he also had a role in Bakayoko’s extended stay.
“I said to him: ‘If you go now, you will be seen as the little Belgian player who comes from PSV. If you win titles with us, perform in the Champions League and play for the Belgian national team, then things will be different. This is his first year as a starter and the most difficult thing is to remain consistent. Johan was fantastic against Arsenal (in the 1-1 draw in the Champions League, ed.), but I want him to be fantastic every weekend.”
