Crysencio Summerville could soon be sharing a pitch again with one of Leeds United’s star men. And, no, this does not mean he is returning to Elland Road.
While Leeds reportedly have a verbal agreement to re-sign Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips come the summer, there is nothing to suggest that Crysencio Summerville will be running back to West Yorkshire regardless of how underwhelming his debut season at West Ham may have been.
Summerville, the reigning Championship Player of the Year and Leeds United’s top scorer for 2023/24, has hit the net just once in a West Ham shirt in addition to his sole assist. Just as the £25 million summer signing appeared to be turning a corner, meanwhile, he was struck down with an injury which has kept him on the sidelines throughout the New Year.
While Archie Gray impresses in difficult circumstances at Tottenham, while Georginio Rutter earns Pep Guardiola’s praise at Brighton, Summerville’s performances in claret and blue are raising more questions than answers.
As such, even if fully fit, a place in the Netherlands squad for the March international break may have been beyond him. Yet, Summerville and Joel Piroe could still be reunited. Not at club level with Leeds United, but on the national stage.
Former Leeds United teammates Joel Piroe and Crysencio Summerville in potential reunion
Summerville has played eight times for the Dutch Under-21 side. Piroe, meanwhile, represented the Netherlands at Under-20 level but has not donned an Oranje kit since 2019.
Piroe has been in fine goalscoring form at Leeds this season. A maiden Golden Boot is within his grasp. Yet, if Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee was going to be left out by Ronald Koeman despite some much-improved performances at Old Trafford, there was never really any chance that a player leading the line in England’s second tier would get a go.
As for Summerville, the Feyenoord academy graduate remains behind Memphis Depay, Donyell Malen, Cody Gakpo and Justin Kluivert in Koeman’s pecking order. Leeds expressed an interest in PSV’s Noa Lang a few seasons back, meanwhile, and he too is part of the Netherlands roster these days.
According to Dutch publication De Volkskrant, an opportunity to play senior international football for the very first time may yet present itself for Leeds attackers past and present.
Suriname looking to land two more Netherlands youth stars to their ranks
The Suriname bosses have reportedly approached Piroe and Summerville regarding the possibility of representing the South American nation instead. A former Dutch colony, Suriname have been hard at work in recent times looking to lure players who find themselves just outside the Netherlands roster.
Kenneth Paal of QPR is part of their squad these days. So too Royal Antwerp forward Gyrano Kerk, Groningen goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen, Middlesbrough duo Delano Burgzorg and Anfornee Dijksteel, plus Sheraldo Becker of Real Sociedad.
Danilho Doekhi, the defender who played Champions League football for Union Berlin, is also expected to join up in June.
De Volkskrant add that Piroe and Summerville have also ‘been approached’.
Piroe was born in the Netherlands but is of Surinamese descent. So too Summerville. The report explains that, because they represented Holland at youth level, any applications to change their international allegiance must be assessed by FIFA and the Dutch football federation [KNVB].
If successful, however, two forwards who helped fire Daniel Farke’s side into the automatic promotion race last season could be reunited ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the remaining 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
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