Stekelenburg Signs
Wednesday 5 June 2013 17:00
Fulham Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Dutch international goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, from AS Roma on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee which will see the player at the Club until at least the summer of 2017.
The 30-year-old began his senior career at Ajax, having progressed through the Dutch club’s youth system.
Stekelenburg made over 280 appearances during 11 seasons at Ajax, winning two league titles, three Dutch cups and four Dutch super cups before moving to Serie A and the Italian capital in 2011. He worked with current Fulham Manager Martin Jol at Ajax during the 2009-10 campaign.
Stekelenburg has 54 caps for the Netherlands and became first-choice goalkeeper following the retirement of Edwin van der Sar, having been understudy to the former Fulham man earlier in his career and at Euro 2008.
He reached the Final of the 2010 World Cup with Netherlands, narrowly losing out 1-0 to Spain in extra-time, and he represented his country at last summer’s Euro 2012.
Speaking from a central London hotel, Maarten Stekelenburg said: "I am very happy to be joining Fulham, and to have everything sorted out so early in the summer, so I can really focus on preparations for playing in the Barclays Premier League next season.
"It’s good that I’ll be joining Martin again, he knows my capabilities very well, so I am just looking forward to joining up with the team in pre-season and enjoying some time with them prior to the new season starting."
Manager Martin Jol added: "Maarten Stekelenburg is a fine quality goalkeeper who I know well from my time working with him at Ajax and of course as the Dutch international goalkeeper I have always had an additional interest in his career. I am sure that he will do well here at Fulham in the Barclays Premier League.
"He is a player of great quality and technical ability whose distribution and ability to react quickly and read the game is exceptional; he will be a fantastic addition to the talented team of ‘keepers that we already have. I am delighted that he was so keen to come to join us and am very happy with the way that the summer is shaping up in terms of our signings, so on the whole I’m ever so pleased."
