De Ligt, who netted a late equalizer against Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's Premier League match, is called back into the squad replacing Inter Milan's Stefan de Vrij, who has been omitted for the World Cup qualifying games against Poland and Lithuania.

The Netherlands lead Poland by three points and hold a superior goal difference; they will qualify if they win in Warsaw this Friday. Otherwise, they are likely to secure qualification when they face Lithuania in Amsterdam on Monday.

"Partly, the decision is based on playing time, although Nathan Ake doesn't feature in 50% of (Manchester City) matches, but he remains part of this squad," Koeman said regarding the 26-year-old De Ligt at Monday's press conference.

"Each player in the squad is assessed individually. I believed Matthijs deserved selection based on his current form.

"He has faced a challenging period. I spoke with him and mentioned that he didn’t seem confident in his play, but that has improved significantly. His role at the club and how well the club performs are always key factors," the coach added.

Regarding Ake, Koeman noted that his being left-footed helped balance the squad’s predominantly right-footed defenders.

"Nathan is also aware that he doesn’t get much playing time. However, he is one of my captains," Koeman told the press.

"He is a left-footed player, whereas most of our central defenders are right-footed. That difference makes him valuable in the squad. He is an important player who has always been available when I needed him."