AZ Alkmaar aim to revolutionise European club networks by exporting academy model
IMAGO | Merijn Zeeman, general manager of AZ Alkmaar, has had plenty to celebrate lately, with a perfect start to the new season and two trophies in the past five months, secured by a squad full of homegrown players.
The Recap
AZ Alkmaar have launched three club partnerships during the summer, exporting their recruitment and academy expertise across a European club network. General manager Merijn Zeeman explains the vision behind it.
Data Insight
AZ have generated more than €85 million from academy products since 2021/22, while eight homegrown players have started each of their opening five matches this season.
Why It Matters
The model allows AZ to gain access to new talent markets and player pathways while creating potential revenue through consultancy fees and future transfer proceeds.
The Perspective
The strategy offers a completely new approach to club partnerships, capturing some of the benefits of multi-club ownership while avoiding the operational demands of outright ownership.
2 September 2026 - 3:00 PM
In the space of 17 days in July, AZ Alkmaar announced partnerships with AS Nancy Lorraine in France, Zbrojovka Brno in the Czech Republic and Almere City in the Netherlands.
While partner club agreements are nothing new, AZ’s recent deals introduce a completely new approach to partnerships at the top of European football through a strategy in which they offer their renowned recruitment and talent development expertise to help other clubs.
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