Following PSV’s spectacular 4-3 victory over FC Utrecht, Peter Bosz left no room for doubt regarding Ismael Saibari’s future. The manager spoke in no uncertain terms about his star player and emphasised that only an extremely high fee would be acceptable. “So I ask myself: how much should Ismael cost? If it were up to me, we wouldn’t let him go for 60 million.”
Saibari was the standout performer at the Philips Stadium on Saturday evening. PSV found themselves 0-2 down early on, but fought their way back impressively in a high-scoring match. The midfielder played a starring role, scoring two goals and providing an assist with a superb run-up.
After the match, Saibari was confronted with a comment from Ron Jans, who claimed that his team ‘lost to Saibari’. The midfielder remained modest in response. “That’s a nice compliment, but I wasn’t the only one on the pitch.”
Bosz then spoke at length about his player’s development, expressing great admiration. “When it comes to Ismael, I do consciously consider: how did he arrive here, how did I find him three years ago, and what development do you think he needs to undergo?” He then emphasised his unique qualities: “He has something that other players may never possess.”
The manager went into even more detail about what makes Saibari so special. “It’s that incredible power, combined with technical ability. And when you add insight to that, you’re a pretty complete player.” According to Bosz, that places him in an exceptional category.
When asked what fee would be required for Saibari to be allowed to leave, Bosz remained crystal clear and serious. “I really mean that, you know? You can’t just walk out,” he said directly to his player. “He’d obviously be a perfect fit for the countries that can afford it. That mainly means the Premier League. So if clubs come calling from there, I can imagine they’ll have to pay a great deal.”