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Indonesian international Kevin Diks has had a long wait to endure before getting started with his current Bundesliga club. Since Borussia Mönchengladbach officially snapped him up on a free transfer in late January, the former FC Copenhagen didn’t get a chance suit up for the foals until July training camp began. Thankfully for the 28-year-old, his interesting career taught him the importance of patience.
Five months amounts to little to a former top prospect who joined Fiorentina on a promising deal in the summer of 2017, only to find himself loaned out five times by the Serie A club. Fiorentina actually ended up sending him back to his old academy club Vitesse Arnhem, who then in turn ended up briefly demoting him to the reserves.
Eventually, after Fiorentina loaned him out twice to AGF Aarhus in Denmark between 2019 and 2021, Diks began to gain traction. He settled in FC Copenhagen the next year on a free transfer and began to rebuild his career at the age of 25.
Now comes an excellent chance for the versatile former Dutch youth International to establish himself in one of Europe’s big five leagues. Diks spoke on his enthusiasm for the new opportunity at a Tuesday BMG press round.
“This is the next level for me,” Diks said. “Stronger competition and a bigger environment. Here I can play at the highest level. It felt like family from day one. Everyone at the club – the coaches, the management, my teammates – have given me a great welcome. I’m happy to be here.”
“The move to Italy was a big step at the time, perhaps too big,” Diks noted when reflecting on his past. “I was still very young. After that, there were a lot of loan spells and little continuity. That’s tough for a young player. Going to Copenhagen was the best decision of my life.”
What role will Diks play at Gladbach? That shall prove an interesting thing to discover over the course of training camp. In any case, Diks is a real all-rounder when it comes to defensive positions. He can play centre back, right back, left back, and defensive midfield.
“I’m most at home central,” Diks was clear to state, “but basically I play anywhere in defense.“
GGFN | Peter Weis
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