Melle Meulensteen

Last updated

Melle Meulensteen
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-07-04) 4 July 1999 (age 26) [1]
Place of birth Beugen, Netherlands [2]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre back
Team information
Current team
Go Ahead Eagles
Number 21
Youth career
Manchester United
2014–2017 Preston North End
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2017–2018 Preston North End 0 (0)
2017Lancaster City (loan) 11 (3)
2018–2022 RKC Waalwijk 118 (6)
2022–2024 Vitesse 59 (2)
2024–2025 Sampdoria 25 (3)
2025– Go Ahead Eagles 2 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 August 2025

Melle Meulensteen (born 4 July 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre back for Eredivisie club Go Ahead Eagles. [3]

Contents

Club career

Meulensteen started his youth career with the academy of English club Manchester United, [4] before moving to the academy of Preston North End in 2014. He further went to captain the youth side. In July 2017, he was promoted to the first team and scored a goal in his debut (friendly match) against Bamber Bridge. [2] On 8 September, he joined non-league Lancaster City on a loan deal till January 2018 to get first team opportunities. [5] His contract was terminated by mutual agreement on 23 January. [6]

On the same day, Meulensteen signed with Dutch Eerste Divisie club RKC Waalwijk after agreeing to a deal which would keep him in the club till the summer of 2019. [7] On 26 January, he made his debut against Jong Ajax. [8]

On 30 June 2022, Meulensteen signed a four-year contract with Vitesse. [9]

On 25 July 2024, Meulensteen moved to Sampdoria in Italy on a three-year deal. [10]

On 5 August 2025, Meulensteen returned to the Netherlands and joined Go Ahead Eagles with a four-year contract. [11]

Personal life

Meulensteen is the son of René Meulensteen, who was an assistant manager at Manchester United and the Australia national team. [2]

Career statistics

As of matches played 17 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] EuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Preston North End 2017–18 Championship 000000
Lancaster City (loan) 2017–18 National League 11331144
RKC Waalwijk 2017–18 Eerste Divisie 9090
2018–19 Eerste Divisie291105 [b] 0351
2019–20 Eredivisie 14310153
2020–21 Eredivisie33010340
2021–22 Eredivisie33240372
Total118670501306
Vitesse 2022–23 Eredivisie32110331
2023–24 Eredivisie27120291
Total59230622
Sampdoria 2024–25 Serie B 253302 [c] 1304
Go Ahead Eagles 2025–26 Eredivisie21000021
Career total21515161007123817
  1. Includes FA Cup, KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia
  2. Appearances in Eredivisie promotion play-offs
  3. Appearances in Serie B Play-offs

References

  1. Melle Meulensteen at Soccerway
  2. 1 2 3 "Zoon Meulensteen scoort meteen bij debuut in Engeland" [Son Meulensteen immediately scores at debut in England]. De Gelderlander (in Dutch). DPG Media. 9 July 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  3. Melle Meulensteen at WorldFootball.net
  4. "TT: Newcastle praat over Jørgensen, Spurs willen wéér shoppen bij Ajax" [TT: Newcastle talks about Jørgensen, Spurs want to shop at Ajax again]. BN DeStem (in Dutch). DPG Media. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  5. "PNE's Meulensteen joins Lancaster". Lancashire Evening Post. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  6. "Melle Meulensteen Leaves Preston North End". Preston North End F.C. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  7. "Meulensteen sluit per direct aan bij RKC Waalwijk" [Meulensteen immediately connects to RKC Waalwijk]. Brabants Dagblad (in Dutch). DPG Media. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  8. "RKC Waalwijk 2 - 4 Ajax II". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  9. "MELLE MEULENSTEEN IS VITESSENAAR TOT MEDIO 2026 (VIDEO)" (in Dutch). Vitesse. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  10. "Meulensteen è blucerchiato: titolo definitivo dal Vitesse" [Meulensteen is Blucerchiato: permanent title from Vitesse] (in Italian). Sampdoria. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  11. "Go Ahead Eagles contracteert Melle Meulensteen" [Go Ahead Eagles signs Melle Meulensteen] (in Dutch). Go Ahead Eagles. 5 August 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.