Jan Van den Bergh is leaving NAC Breda for an adventure in Japan. The thirty-year-old defender, who had a contract for one more year, is transferring to Jubilo Iwata. That club plays in the second tier.
According to NAC, Van den Bergh had “a personal and long-cherished wish: a transfer to Japan.” The club from Breda decided to cooperate with the transfer “because of his explicit wish and the commitment he has shown to the club over the past two seasons.”
Remarkably, Van den Bergh himself is also paying part of the fee to NAC. “There is no doubt that my football heart lies in Breda, but I could not let this lucrative football adventure for me and my family pass by,” the Belgian explains.
Van den Bergh came over from the Belgian club Beerschot two years ago. He played 73 matches for the club from Breda and scored eight times. The defender also impressed with his long throw-ins, which regularly provided NAC with opportunities.
“Jan has contributed in a specific way to the sporting reconstruction of the club in the last two seasons at NAC. We thank him for that and therefore grant him the opportunity to pursue his personal dreams at this age. The agreement with the Japanese has led to a satisfactory outcome for all parties involved,” says technical director Peter Maas.
NAC finished fifteenth in the Eredivisie last season. The club was promoted with Van den Bergh a season earlier.