Quinten Timber, the twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, wore the captain's armband following the departure of Lutsharel Geertruida and demotion of Gernot Trauner in 2024. On Wednesday, however, Van Persie surprisingly announced that Timber would lose his captaincy entirely, with Anis Hadj Moussa becoming vice-captain and 19-year-old Givairo Read the third option.
Sem Steijn, who joined Feyenoord from FC Twente this summer, got handed the captain's armband - a proud moment for last year's Eredivisie top scorer. "I got goosebumps when the coach told me the news. I am delighted and grateful," Steijn told Ziggo Sport following Feyenoord's 2-1 Champions League win over Fenerbahce.
The midfielder did not share when he got the news, saying that "it does not matter."
"It was always my dream to become captain here one day, but I never expected it to happen so quickly. I'm looking forward to making it a fantastic season together.
"Not my decision"
Timber, who opened the score against Fenerbahce, evaded the biggest question concerning his demotion.
"It wasn't my decision, no. Am I disappointed? It's great to wear the armband, and I did so with pride last year. It would have been nice if that were still the case. I am grateful to wear the Feyenoord logo. That's how I feel: grateful."
The midfielder says he'll continue working for the team as he always does. "Whatever choice the trainer makes, I always give one hundred percent for the team. Am I holding back? No, but I don't always share everything on camera anyway.
"I am confident that Sem will do well," Timber continued. "He is a fantastic young man, and he has the support of the team."
Van Persie: Contract situation a factor
Quinten Timber's contract at Feyenoord runs out at the end of the season, and negotiations between club and player have stalled. Manager Robin van Persie admitted it was a factor in stripping Timber of his captaincy.
"You look for several things in a captain. That includes a degree of commitment to the club, someone who safeguards the team culture. Quinten still has one year left on his contract, which also plays a role. If Timber had already extended his contract, that would have influenced this decision, yes."
Timber himself, however, was not a reason to take away his captain's armband completely, Van Persie admitted after repeated questioning.
"Our decision has nothing to do with dissatisfaction with Quinten. He is one of the leaders of our team. You should view it as a large group of leaders, in which we have now chosen Sem Steijn, Anis Hadj Moussa, and Givairo Read as our first captains.
"This has nothing to do with dissatisfaction with other players."
Feyenoord open their Eredivisie season on Saturday with a home game against NAC Breda. The second leg in their UEFA Champions League third-round matchup against Fenerbahce is scheduled for next Wednesday.