Tonny Vilhena Returns to Eredivisie with Willem II
Tonny Vilhena is on the verge of a return to familiar territory. The former Feyenoord midfielder is set to join Willem II from Panathinaikos, marking a comeback to the Eredivisie after five years abroad, according to VI.
For the newly promoted club from Tilburg, it is a statement move. Willem II are gearing up for a survival fight and need experience, personality and legs in midfield. Vilhena, 31 now, brings all three. His time in Greece never really caught fire last season, with only three appearances for Panathinaikos, and both parties were ready for a break.
This next step takes him back to the league where he grew up and made his name.
From Rotterdam prodigy to seasoned journeyman
Vilhena is woven into Feyenoord’s modern history. Coming through the academy in Rotterdam, he broke into the first team as a teenager and stayed long enough to become a fixture. Across 258 matches in all competitions, he scored 41 goals and developed into a dynamic, left-footed midfielder who thrived on big occasions.
In 2019, he chose a new challenge and left Dutch football for Russia, signing with Krasnodar. There he added another layer to his game in a very different environment, playing 79 times and scoring nine goals. The move underlined his ambition, but also started a period of constant change.
January 2022 brought another switch, this time to Spain. Espanyol took him on loan first, then made the deal permanent that summer. La Liga offered a different pace and tactical landscape, and Vilhena slotted into a side fighting to establish itself in the middle of the table.
His journey didn’t stop there. After a season on loan in Italy with Salernitana, he moved again in the summer of 2023, this time to Panathinaikos. In Athens he saw plenty of action overall, featuring in 44 games for the Greek club, but his role fluctuated and his foothold in the starting XI never fully solidified.
The 2024/2025 campaign sent him on yet another detour. Panathinaikos loaned him to Turkish side Alanyaspor for six months, where he played 15 times and scored twice. It was a productive spell, but not enough to change his status back in Athens. On his return, he found himself surplus to requirements.
Willem II’s gamble with a familiar name
That is where Willem II step in. Back in the Eredivisie and desperate to avoid an immediate drop, they need players who know the league, understand the grind and can handle pressure. Vilhena fits that profile: a former Dutch international, used to big crowds, used to expectation.
For the player, this is more than just another move on a long list. It is a chance to reset in a country where he is understood and valued, in a competition he knows inside out. For Willem II, it is the hope that a seasoned midfielder with nearly a decade of top-flight experience across Europe can anchor their survival push.
If this reunion with Dutch football clicks, the Eredivisie could be about to get back a version of Tonny Vilhena with scars, mileage, and still enough fire to drag a promoted side through a long, unforgiving season.
