FC Utrecht striker Nordin Amrabat has made an urgent appeal to KNVB technical director Nigel de Jong to try and convince RB Leipzig midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi to switch his international allegiance to the Netherlands. The 21-year-old Banzuzi, who has five caps for the Dutch youth team, made his senior debut for Congo in a friendly against Uganda on 2 October.
Amrabat stressed that a switch to the Dutch national team is still possible because that match was not an official competitive fixture. "We just checked and he played in a friendly, so in principle he could still switch to the Netherlands," the forward said. He suggested De Jong should approach the player together with national team coach Xavi Simons. "He just signed a new four-year deal, Nigel. So he can get to work tomorrow," Amrabat added, referring to Banzuzi's new contract at Leipzig.
Banzuzi's decision to represent Congo, who have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, was announced in September, after he stated earlier this year that he wanted to focus on the Dutch youth setup. His club, RB Leipzig, face PSV in the Champions League on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Netherlands are preparing for a home fixture against Greece on 13 November. Xavi Simons's side are unbeaten in their last four matches (two wins, two draws), including a 2-1 victory over Serbia in early October. Fans can view the full squad and upcoming fixtures for the next international break.
Further reading: VoetbalPrimeur
