Sunderland’s Van Aanholt speaks to Dutch press, reveals virus issue and talks about scan

 

Sunderland’s Patrick Van Aanholt may well have had the strangest few days of his football career.

The Dutch defender had been told he was starting against Tottenham at the weekend, and was on the team-sheet, but at the last minute David Moyes swapped him for Jason Denayer.

After the match, David Moyes would only suggest it was an injury issue, giving no further information and providing fuel for all kinds of rumours. Moyes then said Van Aanholt had been withdrawn because of medical advice from heart specialists.

The Sunderland manager said the FA panel of cardiologists ‘incredibly’ only gave him the information as Van Aanholt was warming up. The FA then completely denied this.

Speaking to Voetbal International, Van Aanholt has said: “I was indeed surprised, because there is really nothing to worry about.

“I’ve been sick last week. I picked up a virus and that would have crept around my body, possibly even to my heart. So we had to make a scan, but the scan is offered late or too late at the FA and therefore I had to sit in the stands.

“I felt nothing in my heart, I’m just fit… I play tomorrow normally.”