Ruben van Bommel's first start for the Netherlands has prompted fresh debate over his place in the national team, with De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen insisting the PSV winger has not yet done enough to establish himself as a regular.

Van Bommel started on the left wing last Thursday but was withdrawn at half-time, with former PSV player Noa Lang taking his place after the interval.

For Driessen, the substitution underlined the competition facing the 22-year-old, particularly with Cody Gakpo still producing consistently for Oranje.

Speaking on Kick-off from De Telegraaf, Driessen also highlighted Crysencio Summerville's emergence on the opposite flank and suggested the West Ham United winger could have a long-term future in the position.

“That was quite a surprise, to be honest. I didn’t expect him to make himself known at this level that you think we have the right winger for the next ten years. That’s a luxury,” Driessen said of Summerville.

The journalist believes the competition on the left is currently more straightforward than some might suggest.

Gakpo remains a key player for the Netherlands and, according to Driessen, his consistency gives him an advantage over Van Bommel.

“On the other side you have Gakpo. It is said that it’s a fight between Gakpo and Van Bommel. Gakpo delivers in almost every match for the Netherlands national team. And Van Bommel doesn’t,” Driessen said.

The PSV winger has already made an impression under Netherlands head coach Xavi, most notably with his impressive debut against Germany, when he produced a superb assist for Gakpo.

However, Driessen does not believe that performance alone is enough to move Van Bommel ahead of Gakpo in the pecking order.

“And that’s also not a problem. That surprised me.”

Driessen also compared Van Bommel's situation with that of another young PSV player, striker Mexx Meerdink.

Xavi has also given Meerdink an opportunity, and he has impressed during his early appearances for Oranje. Yet Driessen believes the young forward's position is not secure either.

“Meerdink exactly the same, although that was also partly due to what was happening behind him,” he added.

The comments reflect the competition within Xavi's squad, with established internationals still competing against a group of younger players who have been given opportunities under the new head coach.

Driessen also addressed the Netherlands' striking options after Joshua Zirkzee returned from the bench for Meerdink in the second half.

While Zirkzee remains an option for Xavi, Driessen warned against assuming his return will immediately solve the team's problems in front of goal.

“We thought the same thing a while ago. He doesn’t finish. It’s not for nothing that he’s sitting on the bench at Manchester United,” Driessen said, as quoted by PSV Inside.

For now, the Netherlands have several options across the attacking positions, but Driessen's assessment suggests Van Bommel still has work to do before he can claim a permanent starting role.

His next challenge will be to turn his flashes of quality into the consistency required to displace an established international such as Gakpo.