Mats Rots aims to boost Dutch side after €12m Hoffenheim move

Mats Rots has re‑joined the Dutch under‑21 side after completing a €12 million transfer to TSG Hoffenheim, saying the move gives him a platform to develop and eventually add value to the senior national team. The interview was conducted in Zeist.

Transfer fee and expectations

FC Twente received €12 million for Rots, a sum that could rise to €16 million in future instalments. Rots shrugged off the price tag, remarking, “Mij doet dat niet heel veel,” and added that a high fee signals the club’s confidence in his abilities.

Life at Hoffenheim

He arrived as a direct starter for Hoffenheim and featured throughout the pre‑season, describing his adaptation as “Het gaat goed.” The left‑back feels the German league challenges him physically and forces him to increase his tempo on the ball.

Wouter Burger, a former youth international, welcomed Rots to the club and has been a constant source of help. Rots praised him, saying, “Wouter is een topgozer. Hij heeft me vanaf de eerste seconde geholpen.”

Returning to Jong Oranje

Choosing the move over another year at Twente, Rots explained that a strong season in the Netherlands attracted foreign interest, and he preferred the new challenge. He highlighted the personal growth that comes from living alone in Germany.

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Since his return, he has added five caps for Jong Oranje and feels he is becoming a regular fixture. “Eerst was ik natuurlijk de jongen die nieuw was, maar nu komen er ook weer andere jongens bij,” he noted, adding that he now helps newer players settle in.

Rots also mentioned a friendly rivalry with former Twente teammate Ruud Nijstad, who now competes for the left‑back spot in the under‑21 squad. “Hij doet het fantastisch bij Twente… Het betaalt zich nu uit in een plek bij Jong Oranje,” he laughed.

In the players’ hotel he spends time with former U‑19 European champions Kees Smit, Tygo Land and Dies Janse, playing poker and occasionally golf. “We hebben een leuke groep… Ik houd net als een paar van die jongens ook van golf,” he said.

Looking ahead, Rots believes his qualities could fill a gap in the senior Dutch team, where a typical left‑back is scarce. “Ik denk dat ik kwaliteiten heb waarmee ik iets kan toevoegen,” he affirmed, adding that the timeline for a senior call‑up is irrelevant – the aim is simply to earn it.