Xavi recalls Veerman, keeps faith with Van Dijk in Oranje squad

New Netherlands head coach Xavi Hernández has recalled Joey Veerman to the squad for the opening Nations League match against Germany next week.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder, who has won 17 international caps, was left out of the squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America after falling out with Xavi’s predecessor Ronald Koeman.

The Spanish coach’s first squad is a mixture of youth and experience, with some senior players retained while others have made way for the Eredivisie’s young stars. Three members of the 26-man squad play their football in the Netherlands, while half are with clubs in the English Premier League.

Captain Virgil van Dijk is expected to win his 97th cap in Amsterdam next Thursday, ending speculation that the 35-year-old was considering retiring from international football.

Tijjani Reijnders and Crysencio Summerville have also kept their places despite moving to Saudi Arabia in the summer, in a departure from Koeman’s policy of not picking players from the Saudi league.

But there is no place for the Netherlands’ all-time leading scorer, Memphis Depay, who has struggled with injuries this year.

Twente’s veteran striker Wout Weghorst has also been left out, while Feyenoord’s in-form striker Gjivai Zechiël and PSV winger Ruben van Bommel, son of World Cup finalist Mark, are also in line to win their first caps.

After playing Germany in the Amsterdam Arena, Oranje will travel to Belgrade to take on Serbia on Sunday in their second match.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Defenders: Nathan Ake (Fenerbahçe), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Real Madrid), Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool), Lutsharel Geertruida (PSV), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jan Paul van Hecke (Tottenham Hotspur), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Al-Qadsiah), Kenneth Taylor (Lazio), Quinten Timber (Crystal Palace), Joey Veerman (Borussia Dortmund), Gjivai Zechiel (Feyenoord)

Forwards: Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Ruben van Bommel (PSV), Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Noa Lang (Napoli), Donyell Malen (AS Roma), Crysencio Summerville (Al-Hilal)