KNVB Corp Q3 Restructuring Notice: 26 Positions Confirmed, Frimpong Eliminated

KNVB CORP — HUMAN RESOURCES OPERATIONS TO: All Retained Personnel, Netherlands Men's National Programme FROM: R. Koeman, Global Head of People Operations DATE: 26 May 2026 RE: Q3 2026 Workforce Restructuring — Final Headcount Confirmed CLASSIFICATION: CONFIDENTIAL

Following a comprehensive performance review cycle, KNVB Corp is pleased to confirm that 26 positions have been filled for the Q3 2026 Operational Sprint (codename: World Cup). 1 This communication serves as the authoritative record of confirmed placements, position eliminations, and involuntary leaves of absence effective immediately.

Please retain this memo for your records. Redundancy packages are available upon request. All affected employees should direct enquiries to the KNVB Amsterdam headquarters, not to the media.

Bart Verbruggen — GK Division Lead, Brighton & Hove Albion. Performance metrics consistent. First-choice nomination approved.

Mark Flekken — GK (Bayer Leverkusen). Designated backup. Contractual continuity confirmed.

Robin Roefs — GK (Sunderland). Tertiary coverage. Onboarding complete.

Virgil van Dijk — Head of Defensive Architecture, Liverpool. Managerial-tier appointment. All KPIs met. Q3 captaincy confirmed.

Nathan Ake — Senior Defensive Analyst, Manchester City. Lateral coverage. Contract renewed.

Jan Paul van Hecke — Mid-Level Defender, Brighton. Positional overlap with Ake acknowledged; dual placement approved.

Micky van de Ven — High-Tempo Defensive Coordinator, Tottenham Hotspur. Speed metrics in top percentile across all KNVB Corp cohorts. Retained.

Denzel Dumfries — Right-Flank Coverage Specialist, Internazionale. Legacy position confirmed despite recurring contract volatility at club level. KNVB Corp values continuity.

Jorrel Hato — Emerging Talent, Chelsea. Age: 19. Placed on the fast-track development track following exceptional assessment scores. Note: His placement directly displaces a more senior colleague (see Section 5, Frimpong, J.).

Lutsharel Geertruida — Utility Defender, RB Leipzig (on loan Sunderland). Promoted from standby list following an unexpected vacancy in the defensive unit (see Section 6, Medical Separations). Geertruida's Q2 performances at Sunderland exceeded benchmarks. The organisation appreciates his patience and flexibility.

Frenkie de Jong — Chief Midfield Strategist, FC Barcelona. Multi-cycle contributor. Position secured pending ongoing fitness attestation.

Ryan Gravenberch — Midfield Operations Lead, Liverpool. Premier League season performance data reviewed favourably by the selection committee. Retained.

Tijjani Reijnders — Creative Midfield Liaison, Manchester City. Domestic title confirmed. Form trajectory: upward. Confirmed.

Teun Koopmeiners — Midfield Engine, Juventus. Evaluated across multiple tactical configurations. Retained.

Marten de Roon — Defensive Midfield Lock, Atalanta. Note: Following the departures of Xavi Simons and Jerdy Schouten due to extended medical leave (Section 6), De Roon's profile became an organisational necessity rather than merely an option. Koeman stated: "You can't compare others to De Roon or Schouten. He's a real defensive midfielder. A lock on the door."

Quinten Timber — Midfield Utility, Olympique Marseille. Brother of a former colleague now on involuntary medical leave (Section 6). HR acknowledges this is an uncomfortable situation. Quinten's individual performance merits his placement independent of any familial association.

Guus Til — Domestic-Track Midfield Hire, PSV Eindhoven. Internal pipeline placement confirmed.

Mats Wieffer — Midfield Coverage, Brighton. Technical assessment scores met threshold. Retained.

Cody Gakpo — Senior Forward, Liverpool. Performance trajectory positive. First-choice forward confirmed.

Memphis Depay — Veteran Forward Consultant, Corinthians (São Paulo, Brazil). HR note: employee is currently based in Brazil on what this organisation considers an extended international secondment. KNVB Corp acknowledges the geographical irregularity but confirms his institutional knowledge and goal-return metrics remain competitive. Memphis has served the organisation across five major tournaments. His placement was never seriously in question, even if his current office coordinates are unusual.

Wout Weghorst — Physical Presence Resource, Ajax. The organisation's preferred "second reference point" in attacking configurations. Retained.

Noa Lang — Wing Capacity, Galatasaray. Post-injury return confirmed. Position secured.

Donyell Malen — Right-Side Forward Coverage, AS Roma. Consistent output at club level recognised. Retained.

Justin Kluivert — Attack Utility, AFC Bournemouth. A name familiar to long-term KNVB Corp stakeholders for obvious generational reasons. Justin Kluivert (son of Patrick Kluivert, former KNVB Corp legend) has been evaluated entirely on individual output — Bournemouth season metrics met selection criteria. His position was earned, not inherited.

Crysencio Summerville — Right-Wing Resource, West Ham United. Surprise placement. Koeman said he wanted to bring Summerville on board as early as March. Official statement from People Ops: "I like that sort of player who is reliable on the pitch. He's very capable of playing on the right flank, too, but his work ethic is exceptional." 2 24 years old. First senior cap still pending. KNVB Corp is comfortable with this risk profile.

Brian Brobbey — Forward Reserve, Sunderland. Placed on active roster pending full fitness clearance.

The following individuals will not be renewing their Q3 engagement with KNVB Corp. Their contributions to this organisation are valued. Redundancy packages are available. Please do not discuss this memo with them before HR has made direct contact.

Jeremie Frimpong — Right-Back, Liverpool Position: ELIMINATED

This was a difficult call. Mr. Frimpong joined Liverpool in the January window with significant fanfare. The Q2 data, however, tells a different story: recurring hamstring issues, reduced availability, and a notable incident during the Ecuador assessment in which he entered as a substitute and was subsequently forced off within minutes. Koeman addressed this plainly: "It's true that he's been injured quite often this season. Against Ecuador, he came on as a substitute but had to come off again very quickly. That's a physical issue." 2

The organisation has simultaneously chosen to invest in a younger profile for the same function — see Hato, J., Section 2. This is not a referendum on Mr. Frimpong's talent. It is a business decision. Effective immediately.

Joshua Zirkzee — Forward, Manchester United Position: ELIMINATED

Performance benchmarks for Q2 at club level did not meet the threshold required for World Cup deployment. Mr. Zirkzee's situation at Manchester United has been reviewed. KNVB Corp wishes him a productive Q4.

Emmanuel Emegha — Forward Position: ELIMINATED

Considered during the provisional assessment window. Not advanced to final headcount.

The following departures are due entirely to medical circumstances and carry no performance-related implications. KNVB Corp wishes these employees a full and speedy recovery.

Jurriën Timber — Defender, Arsenal Separation type: MEDICAL (groin injury)

Initially placed in the confirmed Q3 headcount. Mr. Timber's recovery from a groin injury sustained in spring was anticipated to complete before tournament deployment. It did not. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had stated publicly that Timber was fit; the KNVB medical team's assessment produced a different conclusion. He was confirmed absent days before the tournament began. His position was backfilled by Geertruida (Section 2). KNVB Corp notes that this marks the second consecutive tournament cycle in which Timber has been involuntarily separated due to injury. The organisation will maintain his position on the talent register.

Xavi Simons — Attacking Midfielder, PSG Separation type: MEDICAL (ACL)

The single most significant absence on this memo. Xavi Simons had become one of the most creative midfield assets in KNVB Corp's portfolio — his absence fundamentally altered how Ronald Koeman structured the entire midfield unit, requiring De Roon's defensive-lock profile to absorb gaps that Simons would have filled with attacking intent. Koeman on the reconfiguration: "When Schouten is out of the picture, you look at your midfielders, and you can't compare Smit or Valente to Marten De Roon or Schouten." 3 Two ACL absences in the same department in the same cycle is an operational stress test KNVB Corp did not plan for.

Jerdy Schouten — Defensive Midfielder Separation type: MEDICAL (ACL)

See above. Schouten's absence alongside Simons' is the reason De Roon went from rotation option to non-negotiable starter.

This is a strong organisation. The 26 positions confirmed above represent the best available Q3 workforce given all constraints — injuries, form cycles, tactical requirements and, yes, one veteran forward currently clocking in from a Brazilian club. Ronald Koeman has confirmed the team will open Q3 operations on June 11 against Japan in Atlanta, followed by Sweden and Tunisia in Group F.

The organisation has not won the World Cup. It has come close. Very close. 1974. 1978. 2010. KNVB Corp is committed to closing that gap. 4

All affected employees should have received their individual notifications before this memo reached circulation. If you are reading this and have not received confirmation of your status, please contact HR immediately.

#MatchRewritten