Sean Klaiber

Sean Klaiber
Klaiber with Brøndby in 2023
Personal information
Full name Sean Desmond Klaiber
Date of birth (1994-07-31) 31 July 1994 (age 32)
Place of birth Nieuwegein, Netherlands
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Right-back
Team information
Current team
 VfL Bochum
Number 2
Youth career
VVIJ
2005–2006 Ajax
JSV Nieuwegein
SV Geinoord
2007–2013 Utrecht
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2020 Utrecht 122 (8)
2015 → Dordrecht (loan) 12 (2)
2016–2017 Jong Utrecht 7 (0)
2020–2022 Ajax 15 (0)
2022–2023 Utrecht 30 (1)
2023–2026 Brøndby 62 (4)
2026– VfL Bochum 0 (0)
International career
2013 Netherlands U20 1 (0)
2015 Netherlands U21 4 (0)
2021 Suriname 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:42, 22 May 2026 (UTC)

Sean Desmond Klaiber (born 31 July 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for 2. Bundesliga club VfL Bochum. Born in the Netherlands, he represents the Suriname national team. He formerly played for Utrecht, Dordrecht and Ajax. He is a former Dutch youth international.

Club career

Utrecht

Klaiber with Utrecht in 2017.

Born in Nieuwegein, Klaiber played in the academies of VVIJ, Ajax, JSV Nieuwegein and SV Geinoord before joining the FC Utrecht youth academy in 2007. On 29 October 2013, Klaiber made his first appearance for the Utrecht first team in an official match. That day, the Domstedelingen played in Werkendam against Kozakken Boys in the KNVB Cup; a match which ended in a 1–2 away win after extra time in which Klaiber made an appearance as a 116th-minute substitute for Kai Heerings. He made his debut in the Eredivisie some months later, on 23 February 2014, as a starter in a 1–0 win over FC Groningen.

During the second half of the 2014–15 season, Klaiber was loaned out to FC Dordrecht who also competed in the Eredivisie. He made 12 appearances for the side in which he scored two goals, as they suffered relegation.

In the 2016–17 season, after returning from Dordrecht, Klaiber made seven appearances for the reserves, Jong FC Utrecht. The following season, he grew out to become a regular starter for the first team. He scored his first goal for Utrecht on 20 July 2017 in a UEFA Europa League qualifier against Maltese side Valletta, which ended in a 3–1 win.

Ajax

On 1 October 2020, Klaiber signed a three-year contract with Ajax, with an optional additional year. The move reunited him with his former Utrecht coach Erik ten Hag, as he was set to replace Sergiño Dest at right back, after the latter had joined FC Barcelona some days earlier.

On 18 October, he made his debut for Ajax as a substitute in the home match against sc Heerenveen. His first start for the club came on 24 October in a 13–0 win over VVV Venlo; an Eredivisie record. During the season, Klaiber was set to compete with Noussair Mazraoui for the right back position. On 27 October, Klaiber made his debut in the UEFA Champions League as a substitute during the away game against Italian club Atalanta.

Return to Utrecht

On 29 August 2022, Klaiber returned to Utrecht and signed a three-year contract. He made his return debut for the Domstedelingen on 2 September, replacing Hidde ter Avest in the 63rd minute and providing an assist 14 minutes later to Anastasios Douvikas' goal, helping the team to a 4–3 away victory against Fortuna Sittard. On 20 October, he scored his first return goal for the club in a KNVB Cup win against Sportlust '46. Three days later, he also scored for Utrecht in the Eredivisie, a deflected shot from distance giving Utrecht the 3–0 lead in an eventual 3–1 victory against Sparta Rotterdam.

Brøndby

On 1 September 2023, Danish Superliga club Brøndby signed Klaiber on a two-year contract, for a fee reported by B.T. to be around 8 million kr. He made his debut on 17 September in a 3–0 league win away to AGF, and scored his first goal on 26 November in a 3–3 away draw with Lyngby.

On 1 April 2024, Klaiber scored a stoppage-time winner in a 2–1 derby victory away to Copenhagen at Parken.

In March 2026, head coach Steve Cooper removed Klaiber and Benjamin Tahirović from the first-team squad, in what was reported as a response to the players' conduct. Klaiber remained out of the side for the rest of the season. In June 2026, the new head coach, Thomas Nørgaard, said that although Klaiber was training with the squad, the club intended for him to find another club; Klaiber, who had a year remaining on his contract, had by then made 78 appearances for Brøndby.

VfL Bochum

On 31 August 2026, Klaiber joined 2. Bundesliga club VfL Bochum, where he was brought in to cover for injured right-back Jean Manuel Mbom.

International career

Born in the Netherlands, Klaiber is of Surinamese descent. Having played for the youth teams of the Netherlands, on 13 June 2021 it was announced that Klaiber had opted to represent Suriname internationally. On 25 June he was called up to represent the team at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

On 12 July 2021, Klaiber made his debut in the group stage match against Jamaica. The match ended in a 2–0 loss, in Suriname's Gold Cup debut, which saw Klaiber being cautioned in the 25th minute.

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played 15 February 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Utrecht 2013–14 Eredivisie 201000—30
2014–15 Eredivisie 1000——10
2015–16 Eredivisie 17020——190
2016–17 Eredivisie 14010—40190
2017–18 Eredivisie 361106130462
2018–19 Eredivisie 37220—40432
2019–20 Eredivisie 2445020—314
2020–21 Eredivisie 2100——21
Total 1338120811101649
Dordrecht (loan) 2014–15 Eredivisie 122———122
Jong Utrecht 2016–17 Eerste Divisie 70———70
Ajax 2020–21 Eredivisie 1501060—220
Utrecht 2022–23 Eredivisie 30131—20352
2023–24 Eredivisie 20———20
Total 32131—20372
Brøndby 2023–24 Danish Superliga 23430——264
2024–25 Danish Superliga 2604030—330
2025–26 Danish Superliga 130006000190
Total 624709000784
VfL Bochum 2026–27 2. Bundesliga 0000——00
Career total 2611523123113032017
  1. ↑ Includes KNVB Cup, Danish Cup
  2. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in Eredivisie Europa League play-offs
  3. 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ↑ Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Conference League

International

As of 21 July 2021
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Suriname 202130
Total30

Honours

Ajax

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Sean Desmond Klaiber". Eredivisie.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Sean Klaiber wechselt zum VfL" [Sean Klaiber moves to VfL]. VfL Bochum (in German). 31 August 2026. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
  3. ↑ "Sean Klaiber". Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "9 Weetjes over 100 keer Sean Klaiber". fcutrecht.nl (in Dutch). FC Utrecht. 26 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "FC Dordrecht haalt bij FC Utrecht derde versterking in januari op". voetbalzone.nl (in Dutch). 6 January 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Ajax signs Sean Klaiber". ajax.nl. Ajax. 1 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  7. ↑ de Bont, Stef (30 September 2020). "Sean Klaiber kiest meer voor Erik ten Hag dan voor Ajax" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "Ajax set to sign Sean Klaiber as Sergino Dest's replacement". Marca. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Opstellingen VVV en Ajax: Eerste basisplaats Klaiber, Post terug bij VVV". soccernews.nl (in Dutch). 24 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Ajax hammer VVV-Venlo in Eredivisie record 13-0 win". BBC. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  11. ↑ "Duidelijke boodschap voor Mazraoui na komst Klaiber". soccernews.nl (in Dutch). 30 September 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Champions League-debuut voor Sean Klaiber". RTV Utrecht (in Dutch). 28 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  13. ↑ "Sean Klaiber keert terug bij FC Utrecht" (in Dutch). Utrecht. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Fortuna Sittard – FC Utrecht 3:4 (Eredivisie 2022/2023, 5. Round)". WorldFootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Senden, Twan (2 September 2022). "FC Utrecht laat Fortuna in tumultueus duel zonder punten achter". ZO-NWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "FC Utrecht met enige moeite langs Sportlust'46, Sparta komt met de schrik vrij". NOS (in Dutch). 20 October 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Het Utrecht van Fraser stuit opmars Sparta, de oude club van Fraser". NOS (in Dutch). 23 October 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "Brøndby IF skriver kontrakt med Sean Klaiber". Brøndby IF (Press release) (in Danish). 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  19. ↑ Abolhosseini, Farzam (1 September 2023). "B.T. afslører: Brøndby betaler otte millioner kroner for Sean Klaiber". B.T. (in Danish). Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  20. ↑ Bech, Malthe (17 September 2023). "BIF bænker Mensah og giver ny back debut mod AGF". bold.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  21. ↑ Kargo, Frederik Josephsen (26 November 2023). "- Det er katastrofalt, siger Brøndby-profil". TV 2 Sport (in Danish). Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  22. ↑ Halkier, Emil (1 April 2024). "Brøndby leverer stort comeback i derby mod FCK". DR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  23. ↑ Bellaiche, Emil (18 March 2026). "Cooper har smidt to Brøndby-stjerner af holdet". Tipsbladet (in Danish). Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  24. ↑ Dalgård, Jonas (18 March 2026). "Ballade i Brøndby – to profiler sat af holdet" [Trouble in Brøndby – two key players dropped from the squad]. TV 2 Sport (in Danish). Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  25. 1 2 Risager, Victor (23 June 2026). "Thomas Nørgaard: Han skal væk fra Brøndby" [Thomas Nørgaard: He is to leave Brøndby]. Tipsbladet (in Danish). Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  26. ↑ ""Hatten Handlungsbedarf": Bochum verstärkt sich mit Klaiber" ["Needed to take action": Bochum bolsters squad with Klaiber]. kicker (in German). 31 August 2026. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
  27. ↑ de Bruijn, Thijs (19 November 2019). "Zo kan het nationaal elftal van Suriname eruit gaan zien". elfvoetbal.nl (in Dutch). ELF Voetbal. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  28. ↑ "Champions League-debuut voor Sean Klaiber". ESPN (in Dutch). 13 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  29. ↑ Surinamese Football Federation [@OfficialSVB1920] (25 June 2021). "The 2️⃣3️⃣ That Will Represent Us At The CONCACAF Gold Cup" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Twitter.
  30. ↑ "Champions League-debuut voor Sean Klaiber". AD (in Dutch). 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  31. 1 2 Sean Klaiber at Soccerway
  32. ↑ "Sean Klaiber - Career Honours". Soccerway.
  33. ↑ "Neres' stoppage-time goal seals Dutch Cup win". Ajax website. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  34. ↑ "Månedens Hold i Superligaen – september". Tipsbladet (in Danish). 3 October 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.