Maarten Stekelenburg was a vastly experienced goalkeeper when Ronald Koeman secured him on a year-long loan deal from Fulham with Fraser Forster still recovering from his kneecap injury. Koeman had originally given him his Ajax debut and the tall goalkeeper (6’5”) had gone on to give them over 14 years’ service before becoming Roma’s first-ever Dutch player. Relegation from the Premier League with Fulham, three years later, precipitated a year’s loan at Monaco and when he arrived at St Mary’s, Stekelenburg confessed the last two years “had not been his best”.

He immediately stepped into Saints Europa League campaign and then started off first choice when the Premier League commenced. Forster’s return in the January meant it was unlikely any deal would be made permanent, especially as Koeman departed himself for Everton in the ensuing summer. It was no surprise when he took the goalkeeper he knew so well to Goodison shortly afterwards. In June 2021 he became Holland’s oldest-ever player to appear in a tournament when he kept goal in the Euros match v Ukraine.