Tonny Vilhena Returns to Eredivisie with Willem II

Tonny Vilhena is on his way back to Dutch football.

The former Feyenoord midfielder is set to join newly promoted Willem II from Panathinaikos, according to VI.

For the 31-year-old, it marks a return to the league where he first made his name. His spell in Greece never truly took off. He featured only three times for Panathinaikos last season and has now been deemed surplus to requirements in Athens. Willem II, gearing up for life back in the Eredivisie and desperate to avoid an immediate drop, see him as much-needed experience in the heart of their midfield.

Career Timeline

Vilhena’s story began at Feyenoord, where he came through the academy and became a mainstay. He played 258 matches for the Rotterdam club, scoring 41 goals and helping to drag the side through some turbulent years before leaving in 2019 for a new challenge with Krasnodar in Russia.

In Russia, he added another 79 appearances and nine goals, proving himself as a reliable, box-to-box presence. January 2022 brought a new chapter in Spain with Espanyol, initially on loan before the move was made permanent that summer.

His journey turned into a tour of Europe. After a season on loan in Italy with Salernitana, Vilhena joined Panathinaikos in the summer of 2023 and went on to play 44 games for the Greek side. During the 2024/2025 campaign he was sent out again, this time to Turkey with Alanyaspor on a six-month loan, where he played 15 times and scored twice.

Now, with his path at Panathinaikos blocked, Willem II offer him a way home and a fresh stage.

A seasoned midfielder, back in the Eredivisie, tasked with helping a promoted club stay among the elite – it’s a familiar league, but a very different kind of fight.