Voetbal International reports that both SC Heerenveen and Sparta Rotterdam are hoping to sign Dutch NEC midfielder Dirk Proper, 24, this summer. The player's role at NEC has diminished, having started only five matches last season due to the form of Kodai Sano. Heerenveen sees Proper as a possible replacement for Joris van Overeem and Marcus Linday, for whom the club recently rejected offers. A move to Sparta would reunite him with Rogier Meijer, with whom he previously worked at NEC. Proper has one year left on his contract, and while NEC's Schreuder wants to keep him, he will be permitted to leave for a suitable price. Voetbal International states that the asking price is approximately one and a half million euros. A longer stay at NEC is possible, however, as Sano has been linked with PSV and VfB Stuttgart. The former youth international has 11 appearances and one goal for the Netherlands U21 team.