Dijks posted a nighttime photo of Ninh Binh province's Nam Dinh ward on Instagram on 20/8, announcing his arrival in Vietnam. Shortly after, the Netherlands' largest newspaper, Telegraaf, reported that the 32-year-old would join Nam Dinh FC on a two-year contract until the summer of 2027.
However, when contacted this morning, a representative of the V-League champions denied the report, stating that the two sides are still negotiating and have not finalized a contract.
The 1.94-meter-tall left-back developed in Ajax's youth academy and played for the renowned club in two stints: 2012-2014 and 2015-2018, winning the Dutch championship in 2023. In the summer of 2019, while playing for Bologna in Serie A, AC Milan reportedly offered USD 23 million for Dijks. However, according to Transfermarkt, his current market value is USD 0.7 million.
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Dijks during his time with Bologna in Serie A. Photo: Iguana Press |
Dijks during his time with Bologna in Serie A. Photo: Iguana Press
Dijks also played for Norwich City in the English Championship on loan from Ajax in 2017 and then for Bologna in Serie A from 2018-2022. Earlier in his career, he played for Heerenveen, the same Dutch club Doan Van Hau joined in 9/2019.
Since 2023, Dijks has played for Fortuna Sittard. After finishing 11th in the 2024-2025 Dutch Eredivisie, his contract expired. According to Telegraaf, after 330 professional matches in Europe, Dijks is seeking a new challenge and sees joining Nam Dinh in Vietnam as a turning point in his career.
Telegraaf also reported that Dijks passed his medical with Nam Dinh. Once the written agreements are finalized, he will sign with the V-League champions.
In early 8/2025, Voetbal Limburg, another Dutch newspaper covering Fortuna Sittard, reported that Dijks was heading to Bali United, the Indonesian club currently managed by Dutch coach Johnny Janssen. However, it appears that deal fell through, and he has now chosen Vietnam as his next destination.
In the 2025-2026 season, Nam Dinh FC will compete in various tournaments, including domestic leagues, the AFC Champions League 2, and the Southeast Asian Club Championship. The Thien Truong Stadium-based club has already signed foreign players such as Kyle Hudlin, Mahmoud, Njabulo Blom, and Percy Tau.
Ha Phuong
