Donyell Malen named as player of the month for september

Donyell Malen (20) has been named Player of the Month for September by the Eredivisie. The PSV striker was statistically the best performing player in the Eredivisie. Heerenveen forward Chidera Ejuke (21) is the best U21 player after Malen, and therefore wins the title of U21 Player of the Month.

Donyell Malen followed his successful debut with the Dutch national team with a great performance in the Eredivisie, including five goals in the match against Vitesse. He is the third PSV player to score five goals in a match after Coen Dillen (1959) and Bert Theunissen (1964).

In September Malen scored 7 times in 5 matches, and he also achieved an assist. His goal tally places the PSV player at the top of the of the top scorer rankings. Malen had the most shots on goal (21) of all Eredivisie players this month. 

Malen was closely followed in September by Ajax players Nicolás Tagliafico and Quincy Promes, who took second and third place respectively in the statistical rankings.

CHIDERA EJUKE (HEERENVEEN) IS U21 PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Chidera Ejuke has been named as the U21 Player of the Month by the Eredivisie. Ejuke is the U21 player with the highest score after Malen. The 21-year-old winger from SC Heerenveen is rapidly becoming a crowd favourite in Friesland. 

The Nigerian forward is notable for his many dribbling runs. He has made 63 this season already, the most of any player. In September Ejuke attempted a run 23 times in total, whereby he managed to pass his opponent 12 times. In the match against VVV-Venlo Ejuke also became the second SC Heerenveen player ever to score twice in the first 13 minutes of an Eredivisie match, after Daniel Pranjic on 12 September 2008 against Heracles Almelo (within 12 minutes). 

Ejuke is ahead of players including Mauro Júnior (Heracles Almelo) and August’s winner Owen Wijndal (AZ) in the monthly rankings.

CALVIN STENGS IN TEAM OF THE MONTH

With four players Ajax has again provided most players for the Eredivisie Team of the Month. Joint Eredivisie leader PSV is represented by two players. Star player Calvin Stengs and goalkeeper Marco Bizot represent AZ, third in the rankings, in the team. Bizot has only let in three goals in the Eredivisie this season.

The full Eredivisie Team of the Month: Marco Bizot (AZ), Denzel Dumfries (PSV), Joël Veltman (Ajax), Daley Blind (Ajax), Nicolás Tagliafico (Ajax), Ajdin Hrustic (FC Groningen), Quincy Promes (Ajax), Mauro Júnior (Heracles Almelo), Calvin Stengs (AZ), Donyell Malen (PSV) and Chidera Ejuke (SC Heerenveen).

The Player of the Month award is an initiative of Eredivisie CV in collaboration with Opta Sports (data supplier) and FOX Sports. The scores are assigned to players objectively on the basis of more than 60 different statistics. Only players who have played at least two-thirds of the total number of game minutes are eligible for a prize.