Van Ginkel: two and a half years of ordeal due to injuries

Marco van Ginkel (27, Netherlands) has not been able to play football for two and a half years. Almost 900 days. His knees have played tricks on him and kept you in dry dock since the beginning of May 2018. At that time, he felt like a footballer again in the ranks of PSV, after a hell of injuries.

The Dutch midfielder was one of the most promising promises in Europe. He began to attract the attention of European football in the ranks of the Vitesse with whom he debuted in the Eredivisie with just 17 years. It was the 2009-2010 season. In 2012, at the age of 19 he played his first minutes with the shirt orange, by the hand of Louis Van Gaal. By then he was already a fixture in the eleven of his club, Vitesse, and he was raffled off by the most important clubs in the Dutch league. Even, his name sounded strongly in the offices of the most advanced German teams. The Spanish Albert Ferrer gave him the alternative in the team. In those years scored 23 goals and distributed 18 assists in the more than 100 games with the Vitesse black and yellow jersey. Those first years he had a first contact with his damn lesions: small problem in a meniscus.

Transfer to Chelsea … and torn ligaments

The summer of 2013 came and crossed his path Roman Abramovich. The owner of Chelsea, in collaboration with Vitesse, noticed the great projection of the young Dutchman. From the club blue they were sure of having done the deal of the year since they paid less than € 10M for his transfer. It was the campaign for Mourinho's return to the team and Van Ginkel was together with Salah, Willian, Zouma, Schürrle and Matic, Part of new face lift from the Stamford Bridge club.

Mourinho was counting on him and the Dutchman was confident of having a good year in the Premier and thus gain a niche for the World Cup in Brazil. But on September 24, 2013, 10 minutes into a League Cup formality game against Swindon Town, Van Ginkel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Goodbye World Cup and low spirits before an exciting season.

For 2014-2015, already recovered, Chelsea yielded him to Milan. It barely had continuity and above had severe ligament problems in an ankle, although in the final stretch of the campaign it was fixed for Filippo Inzaghi. Back in London he went on loan to Stoke City and in January 2016 Chelsea agreed to let him go on loan to PSV. Good news: the best Van Ginkel was being seen again in Eindhoven. With competitive rhythm and decisive (he was a fixture in Phillip Cocu's eleven, he was even on the verge of eliminating Atlético de Madrid in the disputed round of 16 of the Champions League). His football was so good that he received the call from the national team again. I was only 23 years old and I was coming out of the nightmare but …

Eredivisie with PSV and umpteenth injury

The summer of 2016 was not what Van Ginkel expected. An inflammation in the knee left him in the dry dock until November, even so, Chelsea extended his contract for three more years, trusting in his virtues. In January 2017 he returned to PSV on loan to resume sensations. After a great end of the campaign, PSV managed to extend the loan throughout the 2017-2018 campaign. It was his best year. He played the entire season: 33 games played, 16 goals. Team captain and Eredivisie champion.

At the Philips Stadium he played his last short game: on May 6, 2018 against Groningen. Months later, Chelsea announced that the joint was undergoing surgery: “Van Ginkel has undergone a procedure related to the reconstruction and revision of his anterior cruciate ligament. The expected recovery time is approximately eight months. “ Nothing was heard from him until Lampard's arrival on the bench. blue in the summer of 2019, but it was also bad news: “Unfortunately he has had some complications from knee surgery. “

Another blank season and only four games and 97 minutes with the Chelsea shirt since his signing in 2013. After renewing his contract for another year, the London team has decided to cede him to the club where he has performed best lately. His return to PSV is a balm amid so much drama. “We can help you now and we are very happy to do so. Marco is not yet available, but if the final phase of his recovery goes well, he can play an important role very soon “, they say from the Dutch entity. Players like Santi Cazorla, that was in the dry dock for about two years, or Bruno Soriano, a little more than three off the pitch although later he ended up retiring, They are two good examples of improvement for Van Ginkel. Everything happens. He is only 27 years old and at the moment he is where he has shone the most: PSV. Will he return to the stadium where he played his last game?