NOS Football•today, 12:43
Vitesse’s survival at risk due to acute shortage: ‘Have to convince KNVB’
Vitesse’s license, and therefore the existence of the Premier League club, is in danger for next season. According to interim director Edwin Reijntjes, the Arnhem club must convince the KNVB licensing committee with a rescue plan that has yet to be submitted.
“The licensing committee says that what Vitesse has on the table is now not enough. We have to deal with that. It is five to twelve,” says Reijntjes in conversation with Omroep Gelderland.
According to De Gelderlander, Vitesse is struggling with an acute deficit of approximately 3.5 million euros. That deficit should be covered by investor Coley Parry, but the agreements between Vitesse and the American businessman appear not to be crystal clear.
Parry would like to take over Vitesse, but that deal was stopped by the KNVB. That is a sore leg for the American, who has already provided Vitesse with a loan of 12 million euros. According to De Gelderlander, Vitesse is still in discussions with Parry about the club’s acute shortage.
Credibility
According to Reijntjes, credibility in Vitesse must be restored. “That has to do with ownership, where the money flows come from. There is so much going on at the moment that it is now also about a lot of confidence in the club.”
“My most important task is to ensure that the committee issues that license. That is the only goal we have to pursue now,” says Reijntjes.
In February we made an explainer about the complex situation at Vitesse, after the KNVB rejected the takeover of Coley Parry:
Takeover rejected: What went wrong for Vitesse?
The interim director says that Vitesse’s rescue plan is based on a ‘first division scenario’. Vitesse is currently number 17 in the Premier League, a position that would directly relegate the club. “We have to be that realistic. And if we stay in the Premier League, that would be a bonus.”
A complicating factor is that the Russian Valeri Oyf still owns Vitesse. The parties would like to get rid of each other, but so far no progress has been made in that case.
Reijntjes is no stranger to takeover matters. In 2021, as general manager, he was also involved in the takeover of ADO Den Haag by Globalon Football Holdings.
