Heracles Almelo and Fortuna Sittard were both keen to sign Vito van Crooij, a 29-year-old Dutch attacking midfielder, but the NEC player was not open to a move to either club. NEC was willing to let him leave in the winter due to his lack of prospects. According to a report from Voetbal International, Van Crooij is expected to continue his career elsewhere in the Eredivisie with Sparta Rotterdam. The same source indicates that he is keen on the transfer to Sparta, and the deal is awaiting the completion of final formalities. Van Crooij only joined NEC in September 2024 and has a contract with the club until June 2027. The player, who has one cap for the Netherlands U21 team, has a current market value of €1.00m, according to Transfermarkt.