The 2018–19 season is FC Twente's second visit to the Eerste Divisie following their relegation from the 2017–18 Eredivisie. It marks their return to the second highest division in Dutch football after spending 34 consecutive seasons in the top flight of Dutch football. Marino Pusic was promoted to head coach after filling in as interim manager after the departure of Gertjan Verbeek during the 2017–18 season.
FC Twente were confirmed as champions of the 2018–19 Eerste Divisie season on 22 April 2019, finishing top of the Netherlands' second-highest tier of football for the first time in the club's history.
Season review Pre-season FC Twente's pre-season got off to a rocky start. Following the relegation to the Eerste Divisie, the club was forced to slash spending after reducing the overall budget from 30 million to 18 million euros. In late June it became apparent that FC Twente was in dire need of financial help, leaving the club in great uncertainty about the future. The club even threatened to file for bankruptcy if the Enschede city council does not stand guarantee for 7 million euros. A few weeks later FC Twente announced it staved off bankruptcy after the city council agreed to a rescue plan. City officials agreed to freeze interest and repayments of a loan made to the club over a two-season period. In addition, some 30 of the club's sponsors have agreed to invest 10 million euros in the club.
On 31 May, FC Twente announced their first signing of the summer; the return of Dutch midfielder Wout Brama from Australian side Central Coast Mariners, signing him on a free transfer. Brama previously played at Twente between 2005 and 2014 where he won the Eredivisie in 2010.
First team
Squad No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Goalkeepers13Nick HengelmanGK16Joël DrommelGK22Jeffrey de LangeGK26Jorn BrondeelGK Defenders2RicardinhoLB3Xandro SchenkCB4Nacho MonsalveCB21Cristian GonzálezCB25Peet BijenCB27Rafael RamosRB28Jeroen van der LelyRB/LB Midfielders6Wout Brama (captain)DM10Haris Vučkić AM11Alexander LaukartAM17Tim HölscherAM/RW/LW18Ulrich BapohAM19Javier EspinosaCM20Matt Smith DM23Jelle van der Heyden CM Forwards7Aitor CantalapiedraRW8Oussama AssaidiLW9Tom BoereST14Rafik ZekhniniLW15Fred FridayST24Jari OosterwijkST47Mohamed HamdaouiLW
Transfers and loans Summer Transfers in Entry date Position No. Player From club Fee Ref. 1 June 2018 MF 6 Wout Brama Central Coast Mariners Free transfer 24 June 2018 MF 17 Tim Hölscher Esbjerg fB Free transfer 26 June 2018 FW 39 Tim van de Schepop PEC Zwolle Free transfer 16 July 2018 DF 3 Xandro Schenk Go Ahead Eagles Free transfer 31 July 2018 FW 7 Aitor Cantalapiedra Sevilla Atlético Undisclosed 1 August 2018 DF 2 Ricardinho Oxford United Free transfer 3 August 2018 DF 4 Nacho Monsalve Rayo Vallecano Free transfer 6 August 2018 DF 27 Rafael Ramos Chicago Fire Undisclosed 31 August 2018 CM 19 Javier Espinosa Levante UD Undisclosed
Loans in Start dateEnd datePosition No. Player From club Fee Ref. 25 June 2018 1 July 2019 MF 18 Ulrich Bapoh VfL Bochum Undisclosed 3 July 2018 1 July 2019 MF 20 Matt Smith Manchester City Undisclosed 15 August 2018 1 July 2019 DF 21 Cristian González Sevilla Atlético Undisclosed 29 August 2018 1 July 2019 FW 14 Rafik Zekhnini Fiorentina Undisclosed
Transfers out
Exit datePositionNo.PlayerTo clubFeeRef.29 May 2018 MF 21 Danny Holla Den Bosch Released1 June 2018 FW 34 Adnane Tighadouini Málaga Loan return1 June 2018 FW 27 Luciano Slagveer Lokeren Loan return1 June 2018 DF 15 Cristián Cuevas Huachipato Loan return1 June 2018 DF 3 Thomas Lam Nottingham Forest Loan return1 June 2018 FW 29 Mounir El Hamdaoui Excelsior End of contract1 June 2018 DF 4 Jos Hooiveld Orange County End of contract1 June 2018 MF 20 Adam Maher AZ End of contract14 June 2018 MF 18 Michael Liendl Wolfsberger AC Undisclosed14 June 2018 MF 17 Marko Kvasina SV Mattersburg Undisclosed15 June 2018 DF 2 Hidde ter Avest Udinese Released24 June 2018 DF 5 Stefan Thesker Holstein Kiel Released27 June 2018 MF 19 Fredrik Jensen FC Augsburg Undisclosed10 July 2018 DF Jelle van Benthem Heracles Undisclosed23 July 2018 DF 14 Richard Jensen Roda JC Undisclosed26 July 2018 MF Delano Grootenhuis FC Emmen Undisclosed
Winter Loans in Start dateEnd datePosition No. Player From club Fee Ref. 28 January 2019 1 July 2019 LW 47 Mohamed Hamdaoui De Graafschap Undisclosed 30 January 2019 1 July 2019 FW 99 Fred Friday AZ Undisclosed
Loans out Start dateEnd datePosition No. Player To club Fee Ref. 29 January 2019 1 July 2019 FW 30 Dylan George Helmond Sport Undisclosed
New contracts Date Player Ref.8 August 2018MF Mats Wieffer8 August 2018MF Redouan Taha el Idrissi8 August 2018MF Ramiz Zerrouki8 August 2018FW Xhelal Terziqi
Friendlies FC Twente revealed pre-season fixtures against Heerenveen, FC Emmen, VVV-Venlo, Göztepe S.K. and Al-Taawoun.
Pre-season
Competitions
Overview CompetitionRecord Eerste Divisie KNVB Cup Total
Eerste Divisie
League table
Results by matchday
Matches On 15 June 2018, the Eerste Divisie fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.
KNVB Cup
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Players who left the club during the 2018–19 season
Goalscorers
Rank Player Position Eerste Divisie KNVB Cup Total 1 FW 13 3 16 2 FW 13 0 13 3 FW 8 1 9 4 AM 4 3 7 5 DF 6 1 7 6 FW 4 1 5 7 DF 3 0 3 8 AM 2 0 2 9 CM 2 0 2 10 CM 2 0 2 11 DF 1 1 2 12 AM 1 0 1 13 DF 1 0 1 14 DF 1 0 1Own goals 3 0 3 Total 64 10 74
References