Melle Meulensteen
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 July 1999[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Nijmegen, Netherlands[2] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Go Ahead Eagles | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Manchester United | |||
| 2014–2017 | Preston North End | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2018 | Preston North End | 0 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Lancaster City (loan) | 11 | (3) |
| 2018–2022 | RKC Waalwijk | 118 | (6) |
| 2022–2024 | Vitesse | 59 | (2) |
| 2024–2025 | Sampdoria | 25 | (3) |
| 2025– | Go Ahead Eagles | 35 | (6) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 8 August 2026 | |||
Melle Meulensteen (born 4 July 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back for Go Ahead Eagles[3]
Club career
Born in Nijmegen and grew up in Beugen, 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 on to captain the youth side. In July 2017, he was promoted to the first team and scored a goal on 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 for Eerste Divisie club RKC Waalwijk after agreeing to a deal which would keep him in the club until 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] His sister is sports broadcaster Pien Meulensteen.
Career statistics
- As of matches played 8 August 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Preston North End | 2017–18 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Lancaster City (loan) | 2017–18 | National League | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 4 | ||
| RKC Waalwijk | 2017–18 | Eerste Divisie | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Eerste Divisie | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[b] | 0 | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 3 | |||
| 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Eredivisie | 33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 2 | |||
| Total | 118 | 6 | 7 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 130 | 6 | |||
| Vitesse | 2022–23 | Eredivisie | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 1 | |||
| Total | 59 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 62 | 2 | ||||
| Sampdoria | 2024–25 | Serie B | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 1 | 30 | 4 | |
| Go Ahead Eagles | 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8[d] | 0 | — | 45 | 5 | |
| 2026–27 | Eredivisie | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||
| Total | 35 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 46 | 6 | |||
| Career total | 248 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 282 | 22 | ||
- ↑ Includes FA Cup, KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia
- ↑ Appearances in Eredivisie promotion play-offs
- ↑ Appearances in Serie B Play-offs
- ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
References
- ↑ Melle Meulensteen at Soccerway
- 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.
- ↑ Melle Meulensteen at WorldFootball.net
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "PNE's Meulensteen joins Lancaster". Lancashire Evening Post. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ↑ "Melle Meulensteen Leaves Preston North End". Preston North End F.C. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "RKC Waalwijk 2 - 4 Ajax II". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ↑ "MELLE MEULENSTEEN IS VITESSENAAR TOT MEDIO 2026 (VIDEO)" (in Dutch). Vitesse. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ↑ "Meulensteen è blucerchiato: titolo definitivo dal Vitesse" [Meulensteen is Blucerchiato: permanent title from Vitesse] (in Italian). Sampdoria. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ↑ "Go Ahead Eagles contracteert Melle Meulensteen" [Go Ahead Eagles signs Melle Meulensteen] (in Dutch). Go Ahead Eagles. 5 August 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
External links
- Melle Meulensteen at WorldFootball.net
- 1999 births
- Sportspeople from Boxmeer
- Footballers from North Brabant
- Living people
- Men's association football midfielders
- Men's association football defenders
- Dutch men's footballers
- Preston North End F.C. players
- Lancaster City F.C. players
- RKC Waalwijk players
- SBV Vitesse players
- UC Sampdoria players
- Go Ahead Eagles players
- Northern Premier League players
- Eredivisie players
- Eerste Divisie players
- Serie B players
- Dutch expatriate men's footballers
- Dutch expatriate sportspeople in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
- 21st-century Dutch sportsmen