Kees Ploegsma Jr.
PSV Talent Architect
. Netherlands
€520mm

Key Facts

About Kees Ploegsma Jr.

Kees Ploegsma Jr. is one of the key power-brokers at SEG Football, the Amsterdam-based agency that has grown into one of Europe’s dominant player-representation groups, guiding hundreds of football talents and completing thousands of transfers and contract extensions. The son of former PSV manager and later agent Kees Ploegsma Sr., he grew up around top-level football in Eindhoven, where his father helped build title-winning PSV squads featuring stars like Romário and Ruud Gullit. After a short playing career as a defender – including youth caps for the Netherlands – he transitioned fully into agency work, building his own client stable before merging his family agency with Kees Vos and Alex Kroes in 2007, a move that helped turn SEG into a multi-sport powerhouse.

Within SEG, Ploegsma Jr. is now a board member and one of the organisation’s top football agents, leading from the Amsterdam–Duivendrecht HQ while coordinating a global network of agents in dozens of countries. He is best known for guiding PSV-developed talents and Dutch internationals, including long-term representation of Memphis Depay, Jürgen Locadia and Jorrit Hendrix, and for being the personal agent of Cody Gakpo, whom he signed to SEG as an 18-year-old and later guided through a complex pathway from PSV to Liverpool.

His work is not limited to players. Ploegsma is also part of the management team behind Erik ten Hag, playing a central role – alongside co-founder Kees Vos – in Ten Hag’s move from Ajax to Manchester United, his contract extension at Old Trafford, and later his coaching move to Bayer Leverkusen. This coach-agent axis has made him one of the most influential Dutch intermediaries in the Premier League era, with media frequently highlighting how Ten Hag leans on Vos and Ploegsma to navigate Manchester United’s internal politics and recruitment.

On the transfer side, Ploegsma’s portfolio stretches from PSV’s academy to the Champions League. He was deeply involved in Memphis Depay’s big-money move from PSV to Manchester United in 2015 and continued to advise the forward through his later switch to Lyon and, indirectly, his dream transfer to Barcelona. At the other end of the spectrum, his early-career work with Japanese playmaker Keisuke Honda at CSKA Moscow led to a landmark CAS case over unpaid commission, which has since become a reference point in sports-law discussions around oral agreements and agent contracts.

Recent years have seen Ploegsma at the heart of some of Europe’s most discussed deals: co-leading SEG’s negotiations on Rasmus Højlund’s record transfer to Manchester United, playing a key role in the eventual Liverpool move of Cody Gakpo after a dramatic deadline-day decision to stay at PSV in 2022, and representing goalkeeper Mark Flekken in his Premier League switch to Brentford before his later move to Bayer Leverkusen. Colleagues and clients often describe his style as calm, relational and detail-driven: he is known for allowing players to make the final call, while ensuring that all contractual, legal and tax details are watertight behind the scenes.

Highlights:

  • Long-term architect of PSV–to–top-5-league pathways for Dutch talents (Memphis, Gakpo, Locadia, Hendrix).

  • Trusted adviser to top-level coaches, especially Erik ten Hag, on club selection and contract strategy.

  • Deep regulatory and legal literacy, shaped by CAS litigation experience in the CSKA Moscow / Keisuke Honda case.

  • Strong network in the Netherlands, England, Germany, Italy and Spain, working closely with SEG’s multi-office setup.

  • Reputation for integrity and player-centric decision-making – “in the end, the player decides.”

Career Snapshot

Origin story:

  • Son of former PSV manager and later agent Kees Ploegsma Sr., Kees Jr. grew up inside the Eindhoven football bubble, later playing as a defender and appearing for Dutch youth teams before moving into representation and eventually merging his family agency into SEG in 2007.

Milestones:

  • 2007 – Merger of the Ploegsma family agency with SEG, creating the foundation of today’s multi-division Sports Entertainment Group.

  • 2010 – Key agent in Keisuke Honda’s move to CSKA Moscow and subsequent CAS case, shaping best practice on oral agreements and commission structures.

  • 2015 – Memphis Depay’s transfer from PSV to Manchester United, one of the flagship early deals linking PSV and the Premier League.

  • 2015–2018 – High-profile work around Jürgen Locadia’s contract and eventual move away from PSV, showing his willingness to challenge clubs in defence of a client.

  • 2022–2023 – Cody Gakpo’s transfer saga (Leeds and Southampton interest, eventual Liverpool signing) with Ploegsma heavily involved at every step.

  • 2023 – Co-leading SEG’s work on Rasmus Højlund’s move from Atalanta to Manchester United and consulting around Sofyan Amrabat’s Old Trafford loan.

  • 2024–2025 – Central member of the team managing Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United contract extension and subsequent move to Bayer Leverkusen.

Network strengths:

  • Deep roots in PSV and the broader Dutch ecosystem, reinforced by long relationships with figures like John de Jong.

  • Strong strategic relationship with Manchester United and the Premier League via the Ten Hag, Højlund and Gakpo deals.

  • Agency-level reach through SEG’s offices in Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Milan and Girona, plus a worldwide network of agents.

Support Team / Partners

  • Kees Vos – SEG co-founder and fellow agent, co-leads many of SEG’s biggest player and coach transfers with Ploegsma.

  • John de Jong – Former PSV director of football, now SEG agent; works closely with Ploegsma on scouting, club relations and strategic planning.

  • SEG Legal team (Amsterdam HQ) – In-house lawyers supporting complex transfers and arbitration matters.

  • Financial and tax advisors (SEG HQ) – Specialists who structure players’ contracts, tax and image-rights arrangements.

  • SEG Marketing & Media (incl. SEG Stories, Villa SEG) – Content and brand-building arm that amplifies clients’ profiles and showcases Ploegsma’s work in podcasts and documentaries.

Client Roster

(Representative sample – SEG maintains a larger client base; Kees Ploegsma Jr. focuses on a core group of elite and emerging talents.)

Top players and talents (current):

  • Cody Gakpo (Liverpool FC) – Left winger / forward – Netherlands / Togo – 07/05/1999

  • Mark Flekken (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) – Goalkeeper – Netherlands – 13/06/1993

  • Jürgen Locadia (CF Intercity) – Centre forward – Curaçao / Netherlands – 07/11/1993

  • Jorrit Hendrix (Preußen Münster) – Defensive / central midfielder – Netherlands – 06/02/1995

SEG-level collaboration also links Ploegsma to a wider cast of stars including Rasmus Højlund, Sofyan Amrabat, Daley Blind and Joachim Andersen, where he often works alongside other SEG agents in big-five-league transfers.

Coaches/Staff represented

  • Erik ten Hag (Bayer Leverkusen) – Head coach

Notable former clients

  • Memphis Depay – Represented for over a decade through PSV, Manchester United and Lyon, before parting ways ahead of his Barcelona move.

  • Zakaria Bakkali – PSV winger whose contract stand-off and departure involved intense negotiations with Ploegsma.

  • Keisuke Honda – Japan international midfielder, represented during his CSKA Moscow spell and central to a landmark CAS case.

Notable Deals Led by Kees Ploegsma Jr.

  • 2010 – Keisuke Honda: VVV-Venlo → CSKA Moscow, approx. €9m, multi-year deal; later the subject of a CAS case over unpaid commission that clarified legal standards around oral agent agreements.

  • 2015 – Memphis Depay: PSV Eindhoven → Manchester United, approx. €34–35m, four-year contract with option; one of the marquee transfers of that summer.

  • 2015–2016 – Jürgen Locadia: PSV contract negotiations, including a high-profile conflict over training and future plans that underlined Ploegsma’s readiness to defend his client.

  • 2017 – Memphis Depay: Manchester United → Olympique Lyonnais, approx. €16–18m plus clauses, setting up the forward’s resurgence and later Barcelona move.

  • 2022–2023 – Cody Gakpo: PSV → Liverpool FC, reported £35–37m, five-and-a-half-year deal after rejecting Leeds and Southampton offers the previous summer.

  • 2023 – Mark Flekken: SC Freiburg → Brentford FC, around €13m, four-year deal, with Ploegsma acting as agent in Premier League documentation.

  • 2023 – Rasmus Højlund: Atalanta → Manchester United, approx. €75m plus add-ons, long-term contract, co-led with fellow SEG agents.

  • 2023 – Sofyan Amrabat: Fiorentina → Manchester United, season-long loan with purchase option, negotiated within the Ten Hag–SEG network.

  • 2024 – Erik ten Hag: contract extension at Manchester United, keeping him at Old Trafford until 2026 and reinforcing the club’s faith in his project.

  • 2025 – Erik ten Hag: Manchester United → Bayer Leverkusen, multi-year agreement with the Bundesliga club, again brokered by the SEG management team.

Track Record (last 3 seasons)

(Approximate figures, based on public information.)

  • Total transfers completed: 20+ player and coach deals personally led or co-led since 2022, within SEG’s much larger global total.

  • Deals ≥ €10m: At least 5 major transactions (Højlund, Gakpo, Flekken, plus high-value coaching deals for Ten Hag).

  • Clients in top-5 leagues: 10+ across the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga.

  • National team clients: Multiple Netherlands internationals and at least one Japan international historically.

  • Renewal/extension deals: 10+ notable contract renewals and extensions, including club and coaching agreements.

  • Aggregate client market value: Approx. €520m aligned with SEG’s football client base, with Ploegsma co-leading one of the agency’s highest-value portfolios.

Compliance & Accreditation

  • FIFA – Licensed football agent under the current Football Agent Regulations, operating primarily via his KNVB registration.

  • KNVB (Netherlands) – Long-standing registration as a football agent/intermediary.

  • The FA (England) – Registered in the FA’s Football Agent Transactions list, including as agent on Premier League transfers.

  • Insurance & legal – Operates within SEG’s central legal and risk framework, with robust support on contracts, insurance and regulatory compliance.

Testimonials

  • Erik ten Hag – Head coach, Bayer Leverkusen
    “Kees Ploegsma and Kees Vos have stood by me both personally and professionally. They have been pivotal in many ways, particularly in getting all parties aligned.”

  • John de Jong – Former PSV director of football, SEG agent
    Ploegsma has described De Jong as “a top professional with abundant experience and a large international network,” which mirrors the standards he expects from collaborators around him.

  • Remco Oversier – Former SEG managing director
    Oversier has praised the leadership group of Vos, Ploegsma Jr. and colleagues for building “a team of agents that is stronger than ever” and ensuring clients receive “the best possible career guidance.”

  • Memphis Depay – Forward
    In SEG’s farewell message – signed “Kees Ploegsma & Team SEG” – the agency thanks Memphis for allowing them to share “your dreams coming true, on the field and beyond,” reflecting the depth of that long-term relationship.

Press, Awards & Recognition

  • Frequent mention in Dutch media (Eindhoven and national press) when major PSV-linked deals or agent-club conflicts are discussed.

  • Regular reference point for British media during the Gakpo and Højlund transfer sagas and in analysis of Manchester United’s Dutch influence.

  • Featured in SEG’s own content platforms – SEG Stories, Villa SEG and various transfer-window documentaries – as a central figure in the agency’s football operations.

  • Recognised within industry analysis (e.g. CIES Football Observatory, agency directories) as part of the leadership team of one of Europe’s highest-value football agencies.

  • Studied in sports-law case reviews due to his CAS win against CSKA Moscow, now a standard example in discussions about oral agreements and agent commissions.

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