Former PSV Eindhoven midfielder Björn van der Doelen believes Ruben van Bommel could be on his way to England next summer, with the young winger continuing to impress despite PSV’s recent Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig.

Peter Bosz’s side suffered a narrow 1-0 loss in Germany last Tuesday, but their performance offered encouraging signs. Van der Doelen felt PSV competed well for much of the match and singled out Van Bommel as a player whose development could soon attract interest from abroad.

Speaking on the Skiete Willy Podcast from Voetbal International, the former PSV player expressed confidence in the winger’s potential, suggesting his physical attributes and attacking threat could make him an attractive prospect for English clubs.

“I think he plays in England next year,” Van der Doelen said.

Journalist Marco Timmer questioned whether such a move might come too soon, but Van der Doelen stood by his assessment while acknowledging that Van Bommel’s progress over the remainder of the season would be important.

“He’s very big and strong. There’s a lot of threat coming from him. Of course it depends on how he develops for the rest of the season, but I think that with him... I see that guy playing like that, because even in matches where he isn’t playing all that great himself, he’s still good,” he explained.

Van der Doelen’s prediction reflects the growing appreciation of Van Bommel’s overall contribution to PSV. The winger offers more than direct attacking play, with his willingness to contribute defensively also catching the attention of Timmer.

The journalist highlighted how Bosz adjusted Van Bommel’s positioning against Leipzig, directing him towards one of the opposition’s central defenders rather than the right-back.

That tactical adjustment allowed Van Bommel to exploit a perceived weakness in Leipzig’s defensive setup. With Filip Kostić subsequently required to respond to the movement, PSV found opportunities to create dangerous situations down that side.

Timmer explained that the adjustment worked well on several occasions, allowing Van Bommel to get past his opponent and make a difference in the final third.

His ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch was another aspect of his performance that stood out. Rather than relying solely on attacking moments, Van Bommel showed the physical presence and work rate needed to support Bosz’s wider tactical approach.

Van Bommel’s display came in a match PSV ultimately lost through Brajan Gruda’s 75th-minute goal. The Eindhoven club also missed opportunities to take the lead, including Ivan Perišić’s missed penalty and a second-half chance for Sven Mijnans.

Despite the result, Van der Doelen remained encouraged by what he saw from PSV and particularly by Van Bommel’s ability to remain influential even when his overall performance was not at its best.

The former midfielder also praised Mijnans’s shooting ability during the discussion, although his strongest prediction concerned Van Bommel’s future.

“The shots he puts on Mijnans,” Van der Doelen remarked, before reiterating his belief that the winger could be playing in England next season.

“I think that he'll be somewhere in England next year... I think,” he added, as quoted by PSV Inside.

Van Bommel’s next steps will depend on how he performs throughout the remainder of the campaign, but Van der Doelen’s comments underline the growing expectations surrounding the PSV youngster. If his development continues at its current pace, a move abroad could become a major talking point ahead of next summer’s transfer window.