Official! Mauro Zijlstra Loaned to Arema, Persija Have a Special Mission
Persija Jakarta have decided to send young striker Mauro Zijlstra on loan to Arema FC for the 2026/27 Super League season. The 21-year-old forward will not be part of the Macan Kemayoran squad next season.
The decision was certainly not an easy one for Persija. Zijlstra is considered to have significant potential to develop and make a greater contribution to the team. Moreover, the striker, who joined Persija during the second half of the 2025/26 season, still has two years remaining on his contract.
However, regular playing time has become the main consideration behind the decision. Persija believe that gaining more experience and playing more matches with Arema could play an important role in Zijlstra’s development.
Since joining Persija in the second half of last season, Zijlstra has made four appearances. He featured against Bali United, PSM Makassar, Persik Kediri, and Semen Padang in the 2025/26 Super League.
However, his contribution was yet to reach its full potential. One of the factors was a hamstring injury that forced the striker to spend around three months on the sidelines while recovering.
Through his loan spell at Arema FC, Persija hope Zijlstra can gain more experience and regular playing time. The opportunity is expected to help the young forward mature before eventually returning to the Macan Kemayoran.
Persija manager Ardhi Tjahjoko emphasized that playing opportunities will be crucial to Zijlstra’s development. The club hopes the striker can show his best form before returning to Jakarta.
“The most important thing now is for Mauro to get playing time so he can continue improving his performance. Whatever opportunity he gets, no matter how small, must be maximized to help him keep developing,” Ardhi said in an official club release.
“We will certainly continue to monitor his progress and hope he can return as a better version of himself,” he added.
