Former Tottenham star Rafael van der Vaart's harsh and stinging criticism for Brighton's new Dutch signing

Joel Veltman in action for Holland against Italy in the Nations League

The Ex-Ajax, Real Madrid and Tottenham playmaker Van der Vaart was highly critical of the display and had harsh words for Brighton's new signing Joel Veltman.

Veltman, 28, is known to be a reliable and solid defender and the Champions League semi-finalist and three time Dutch League champion has made 179 appearances for Ajax before his £900,000 summer switch to Brighton.

He also has 24 caps to his name and against Italy he was selected by new coach Dwight Lodeweges and lined up in the defence alongside Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Manchester City's Nathan Ake.

Former Holland international Rafael van der Vaart was harsh on Brighton's new signing Joel Veltman

The Albion man also played the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 victory against Poland last Friday, where Tottenham's Steven Bergwijn netted the winner for Holland.

After the Italy match Van der Vaart, who made 109 appearances for his country, said Veltman's place for Holland's next Nations League match against Bosnia-Herzegovina should be in doubt.

“In any case, I would not draft Veltman,” said Van der Vaart. “I sometimes wonder. But if someone just has a really bad day, it is better for the whole team and the boy himself that you change him.

“Those Italians are not stupid and thought: just leave him (Veltman) on the ball. That striker also only stayed with him when Italy was on the attack.

"I understand you only have three swaps (subs), but still…Would I swap it (Veltman)? Yes, but I think everyone who likes football.”

Not everyone however agrees with Van der Vaart's assessment of Veltman. Former Albion defender and now Dutch TV presenter Hans Kraay believes Veltman is a very capable and composed player and will be a success in the Premier League with Brighton.

“If Brighton is looking for a very stable, unbelievably good footballing centre-half, they have got him," Kraay said last month.

“I know him very well. I’ve seen him play probably 300 matches and 298 times he is been a seven or eight out of ten.

“The good word about him as a centre-half has got to be ‘reliable’.

“If he plays 34 games, he plays 34 games as a seven out of ten.

“You always know when Joel Veltman has the ball, he never gives it away to an opponent. Never, ever."

Veltman will hope to make his Premier League debut with Albion when the welcome Frank Lampard's Chelsea to the Amex Stadium on September 14.