Maarten Stekelenburg is looking forward to working with the manager who gave him his professional debut once again.
Stekelenburg was handed his debut as a 19 year-old for Ajax by current Southampton boss Ronald Koeman in February 2002.
The now 32 year-old signed a season-long loan deal with Saints on Monday to link back up with Koeman and the stopper is looking forward to the reunion.
He’s also excited to meet his new teammates on Monday when pre-season training gets back under way.
“I made my debut at Ajax when he was the coach,” Stekelenburg told youtube.com/southamptonfc. “He called me a few weeks ago to ask about me and I was really positive about it.
“After that conversation I really wanted to come here. It was good working with him, it’s all about football but he relaxes players and he’s a great coach.
“I spoke with Koeman on the phone who told me some players come back a week after because of internationals but I’m looking forward to Monday.
“We start next Monday so I go back to Holland and prepare for my move here. My family will come later but I look forward to next Monday.
“There are some players here that I have played against like Graziano Pellè and Dušan Tadić so it will be good to see the guys here.”
The goalkeeper, who spent a season with Fulham before another year out on loan at French side AS Monaco, believes the best is yet to come from him in England.
“The last two years were not great. My year at Fulham wasn’t my best season,” he added.
“So, as they say in England ‘the best is yet to come’.
“I’m very pleased that I’ve joined. It’s a big club, it’s a nice club and I can play. Last year I was at Monaco and didn’t play a lot.
“I’m just happy that I can play. The last two years I didn’t play a lot so I hope to play and have a good season. I just want to make it a great season by playing.”
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