Elia and Kongolo in Netherlands frame

BeSoccer 7 years ago |

Reading time: minutes

Elia played under Koeman at Southampton. GOAL

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has turned to his former Southampton player Eljero Elia in a provisional friendly squad.

Ronald Koeman has included four uncapped players and recalled Eljero Elia from the wilderness in Netherlands' provisional 30-man squad for friendlies against Slovakia and Italy.

PSV winger Steven Bergwijn, Club Brugge midfielder Ruud Vormer and goalkeepers Marco Bizot and Sergio Padt are all in contention for an international debut.

They could be joined in the final 23-man squad by Istanbul Basaksehir forward Elia, who has not been involved with the Oranje since 2015, when he was an unused substitute on three occasions.

His five league goals in Turkey have led to links with the likes of Championship title-winners Wolves, and the 31-year-old has clearly done enough to catch Koeman's attention.

Huddersfield Town defender Terence Kongolo is also in the frame to return, having been overlooked since 2016, although Everton midfielder Davy Klaassen again misses out.

Koeman will confirm his final squad on May 18 before the Oranje visit Slovakia on 31 May. They face fellow World Cup absentees Italy on June 4.

Here's Koeman's full squad: