Anis Hadj Moussa continued his impressive start to the season by scoring twice in Feyenoord’s 5-0 win over FC Utrecht on Sunday, earning praise from manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst after a turbulent transfer period.
The Algeria international, who has 18 caps and two goals for his country, has found the net in each of his past three Eredivisie appearances. He has scored two goals in each of his last two matches, having also produced a brace in the previous game.
Hadj Moussa’s second-half display against FC Utrecht took his tally to six attacking contributions in seven matches this season. In addition to his goals, he provided an assist on the second matchday of the Eredivisie.
His performance came two weeks after a proposed move to Saudi Arabia collapsed. Despite that setback, the 22-year-old appears to have responded on the pitch, scoring regularly for Feyenoord before joining up with Algeria for the international break.
Van Bronckhorst praised the winger during his post-match news conference, with the coach’s comments reflecting Hadj Moussa’s strong response to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
The player had been in difficulty with Feyenoord’s directors earlier this month because of the transfer situation. He was also left out of the squad for the match against NEC on 9 September, officially as a disciplinary measure after missing the team bus.
Feyenoord had initially been reluctant to sanction his departure, fearing the club would be unable to find a replacement once the Dutch transfer window had closed. However, the Rotterdam club eventually agreed to discuss a deal with Al-Ittihad based on a fee of 40 million euros, which could have risen to 42m euros with bonuses.
The negotiations then stalled when Feyenoord’s directors requested a bank guarantee. Their Saudi counterparts considered the demand unusual and were not prepared to accept it.
Hadj Moussa subsequently sought to ease tensions inside the squad. The day after his proposed move fell through, he explained the situation to his team-mates.
The next test was whether he could demonstrate a renewed focus on the field. His latest performances have provided a clear answer, with the Algeria international now one of Feyenoord’s most productive attacking players at the start of the campaign.