Rigaux's thoughtful policy delivers strong, balanced team to Feyenoord

In the Rotterdam canteen of De Kuip the smell of freshly ground coffee still lingers while Dévy Rigaux, the new technical director of Feyenoord, is wrapping up his first months with praise from both club watchers and players. His approach, which he himself describes as ‘building, not buying’, has already had a noticeable impact on the squad.

Strategic retention and negotiation

In the summer Rigaux was under pressure to retain two key players: Anis Hadj Moussa, who came from Al‑Ittihad, and Givairo Read, who received offers from both Nottingham Forest and AS Roma. Both players stayed, according to club watcher Martijn Krabbendam, “very happy that they have stayed”. The Belgian showed himself to be a tough negotiator, even turning down a thirty million euro offer from Roma for Read – a decision that Kenneth Perez calls “almost criminal”.

Balance in the squad

Krabbendam praises Rigaux for the balance he has introduced in the squad. “They are no longer dependent on an Ayase Ueda or Santiago Giménez,” he says, pointing to the recent goal output: Nacho Ferri five, Hadj Moussa five, Gjivai Zechiël five and Luciano Valente four. “That makes you, in terms of depth, a strong team,” he adds, emphasizing that this result was “thought out in advance”.

Kenneth Perez nods in agreement and says: “I really think he makes a very good impression.” The former Danish midfielder praises Rigaux’s ability to have well‑balanced the squad, a judgment that is shared by several observers.

In addition to the mentioned players, Rigaux has also arranged the arrival of Mats Deijl, an option that according to Krabbendam makes the difference compared to a possible deployment of Read. The combination of retention, smart signings and a clear philosophy has given Feyenoord a broad and competitive team.

Rigaux, who came from Club Brugge last summer as a replacement for Dennis te Kloese, is now receiving broad recognition for his approach. His policy, which he himself describes as “building, not buying”, already seems to be bearing fruit and puts Feyenoord on a path of sustainable growth.