Dutch clubs like Ajax have produced a lot of talent in football. Some of these players find their way into big European clubs, while others play their football in their home country or elsewhere. A few Ajax graduates even end up playing for some of the other clubs in the Eredivisie. One such player who returned to the Netherlands in 2023 was Noa Lang. PSV signed him from Club Brugge in the summer.
Noa Lang left Ajax to join the Belgian club permanently in 2021. He spent three seasons at Brugge and won two league titles with them. In 2018-19, Lang won his first Eredivisie while playing for Ajax. Now, he has returned to the Netherlands and will ply his trade with PSG. Here is a look at what the 24-year-old can offer these Dutch giants.
Creative touch
Noa Lang is a left-sided attacker who can also play in the centre of the park. The player is known for his creativity and scored six goals for his side last season. In the Belgian league and Champions League, the player created 63 shot assists, with a few coming from set-pieces. Most of the passes landed on the edge of the six-yard box.
In the current campaign, the player has four shot assists to his name. He plays on the left side of the field and has an 83.3% passing accuracy rate. It can be observed that Lang has formed partnerships with his new teammates and is often found inside the opposition’s penalty box.
These progressive passes have been matched by progressive runs. The 24-year-old has made 24 progressive runs in the current season. These progressive runs have allowed the player to penetrate the opposition’s penalty box. He has attempted a few successful dribbles on the edge of the penalty box as well.
End product
PSV will expect goals from their new forward in the current season. Lang comes to the club with a decent reputation for scoring goals. He netted nine goals last season, three of which came from the penalty spot. Playing wide, Lang likes to cut back inside and attempt shots like a typical wing player. The 24-year-old had a decent accuracy rate of 47.4%.
This season, the player has already scored a couple of goals for his new club. His accuracy rate has been on the higher side at 64.3%. However, the scoring areas are similar to last season.
PSV last won the Eredivisie in 2017-18. They are looking for their 25th league title and have made a positive start by winning the first three matches. Noa Lang will look to make a bigger impact in the upcoming games and cement his place in the side.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
