Dutch club AZ Alkmaar have confirmed that they have signed 26-year-old Viktor Elm on a free transfer. The club missed out on the opportunity to play in the Champions League next season after finishing only in the fourth position, while they remained on course to lift the title only a few months ago.
Despite this alarming dip in form, they have not been viewed unfavourably in the eyes of the players. The 26-year-old Viktor Elm has revealed that he has joined AZ Alkmaar despite having a number of offers from top European clubs, including Everton. The former Heerenveen player has now signed a four-year deal with AZ Alkmaar.
Viktor Elm has the ability to play both in midfield and up top. His versatility will be a major boon for AZ Alkmaar. He is a box to box midfielder, who has scored 15 goals in 109 appearances for Heerenveen before deciding to join AZ Alkmaar this summer. He joined the club back in 2009 and has been an instrumental part of their success in these three years. He was offered a contract extension by Heerenveen, but it is thought that Viktor Elm was looking for a new challenge after three years at the Abe Lenstra Stadion.
“AZ gave me and my family the right feeling. I had several offers to play in other countries and was close to joining Newcastle United, but we are all happy in the Netherlands. We speak the language and know what life is about here. It looks like Sweden in many ways and having the right feeling played a major role for us. Will I try to persuade Rasmus to stay longer at AZ? I will try. It would be great if he did. We have played together in midfield before, Rasmus as a playmaking midfielder and myself as a box-to-box player,” said Viktor Elm.