While some European football clubs are still in the midst of their pre-season preparations, the ball is already rolling in the Netherlands. What do analysts expect from the Eredivisie in the 2025/26 season? Which clubs will surprise, who will score the most goals, and are the promoted sides from the Keuken Kampioen Divisie strong enough to hold their own against top-flight opposition? You’ll find out more in this article.
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PSV Tipped to Win the Title Again
Analysts agree on one thing: PSV appear to be the clear favourites for the coming season. Although the Eindhoven club lost several key players over the summer, including Luuk de Jong, Malik Tillman, Noa Lang and Walter Benítez, they still seem to have the strongest squad. New signings such as Ruben van Bommel, Alassane Pléa and Yarek Gasiorowski look set to be serious reinforcements.
Behind PSV, Ajax, Feyenoord, AZ, FC Utrecht and FC Twente are expected to compete for the other Champions League spot (2026/27 season). For Ajax, much depends on how the new coaching staff performs, while FC Twente have lost their most important player, Steijn. At AZ, young talents Meerdink and Smit are knocking on the door. Could this be their breakthrough year? At the same time, the Alkmaar side have seen influential player Ruben van Bommel, depart to a rival.
Promoted Clubs Face a Tough Challenge
The battle will not only be fierce at the top of the table, but also at the bottom. Analysts predict that newly promoted Telstar, Excelsior and Volendam will struggle to avoid relegation in 2025/26. Volendam, for instance, lost Bilal Ould-Chikh this summer, a player who was instrumental in creating attacking opportunities in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie last season.
Of the three, Excelsior appear to have the best chance of survival. The Rotterdam club have proven on several occasions that they can stay up. Telstar, meanwhile, have already shown they can cause problems for bigger sides with their attacking style of play. In the opening round, they lost 2–0 to Ajax but created several clear chances to pull one back.
Other clubs expected to face a difficult season include Heracles Almelo and Fortuna Sittard. PEC Zwolle may also find it challenging to maintain their Eredivisie status.
PSV Players Most Frequently Tipped as Standouts
When it comes to potential standout players for the new season, PSV players are the most frequently mentioned. Ivan Perisic is a popular choice. For a long time it was uncertain whether the star would remain in Eindhoven, but it is now clear that he will stay for at least this season. Not only is he versatile across several positions, but he also demonstrated towards the end of last season that he can find the net regularly.
Other names being mentioned include Pléa and Pepi, two strikers with a proven eye for goal. Pepi has already shown his scoring ability in Eindhoven in recent seasons, while for Pléa this is a new chapter at PSV. However, he enjoyed plenty of success as a striker abroad.
Looking beyond PSV, FC Utrecht defender El Karouani and Ajax’s new signing Gloukh could emerge as stars of the season, though it remains uncertain whether the former will still be playing in the Netherlands by the end of the transfer window.
