Matthijs De Ligt | Ajax CB

amolbhatia50k

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De Jong and De Light will probably end up playing for Barcelona..a shame :(
Why do they have to go to Barcelona? You have as good a shot as any other big club.

Sadly I don't see is getting any of these super talents. Wish we bagged the likes of these two and Arthur sometimes ahead of Madrid and Barca.
 

Utd08R

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Would love him in the squad. Class player. Hes only 18/19 now and people are using performances from when he was 16 to discredit him. Sums up the quality he has.
 

Ashley R1+O

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Hey mate, I appreciate the level headed post, good stuff. I agree with you, we aren't shrewd enough which sends a real message that nobody is really looking at transfers at this club properly since Ferguson departed.

If we do sign a 19 year old for £60m, they have to be a can't fail, elite level talent. I suspect De Ligt is that; he's already proven himself in European competitions and has already played around 60 games for Ajax and 7 for Netherlands. I was about to make the point that Martial was less proven but, looking at Wikipedia, he'd actually made near enough the same amount of appearances for Monaco. Having said that, the market has gone even more mad since Martial signed.
Martial signed a year earlier from OL to Monaco. The point I always make is as an organization with a proper head on our shoulders we get in there and intercept this guy when he goes for 9m rather than throwing x million at him a year later for little to no reason other than "but maen... he might be good in a few years! 40m and 90k a week IM WOODY BITCHES!"

You make an excellent point about the signing having to be "can't fail" when sponking money at a target comes into the equation. It is dismal stuff really.
 

gajender

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Hey mate, I appreciate the level headed post, good stuff. I agree with you, we aren't shrewd enough which sends a real message that nobody is really looking at transfers at this club properly since Ferguson departed.



Martial signed a year earlier from OL to Monaco. The point I always make is as an organization with a proper head on our shoulders we get in there and intercept this guy when he goes for 9m rather than throwing x million at him a year later for little to no reason other than "but maen... he might be good in a few years! 40m and 90k a week IM WOODY BITCHES!"

You make an excellent point about the signing having to be "can't fail" when sponking money at a target comes into the equation. It is dismal stuff really.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it I am not saying we are good at this transfer stuff but even the most well run elite club's aren't doing what you are suggesting and then you have to factor in player and selling club as well who would also try to maximize fees and playing time it's easier said than done.
 
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KirkDuyt

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Why do they have to go to Barcelona? You have as good a shot as any other big club.

Sadly I don't see is getting any of these super talents. Wish we bagged the likes of these two and Arthur sometimes ahead of Madrid and Barca.
Ajax and Barcelona have a bit of a history and Ajax still regards Barcelona as the ultimate implementation of their style of play, mostly Pep's Barcelona of a few years ago. The absolute fawning over Barcelona in The Netherlands is cringeworthy in general, but for a kid going through Ajax' youth teams, Barcelona is the end goal.

Though Frenkie de Jong is actually from Willem 2's academy so he might not have been infected with the Ajax virus yet ;)
 

amolbhatia50k

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Ajax and Barcelona have a bit of a history and Ajax still regards Barcelona as the ultimate implementation of their style of play, mostly Pep's Barcelona of a few years ago. The absolute fawning over Barcelona in The Netherlands is cringeworthy in general, but for a kid going through Ajax' youth teams, Barcelona is the end goal.

Though Frenkie de Jong is actually from Willem 2's academy so he might not have been infected with the Ajax virus yet ;)
Going by that, these players might fancy going to City too. Ewww.
 

KirkDuyt

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Going by that, these players might fancy going to City too. Ewww.
City as long as Pep is there, has a very big chance of signing any Ajax talent. I very much fear De Ligt going to City to replace Kompany. According to our ever objective critics it would be SO FECKING AMAZING to play under the ULTIMATE FOOTBALL MIND Pep Guardiola. It's horrifying.
 

Bloedrood

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Kluivert was a good player, but he wasn't world class - if anything his early career elevated his status.
Disagree very much. He was a world class talent, one of the biggest talents the Netherlands ever had, but never reached his full potential. Mostly due to lack of mentality and bad choices/lifestyle off the pitch. For example, just months after that Champions League final for Ajax, when he was 19 years old, he got involved in a frontal car accident, he drove nearly twice the speed limit, got into the wrong car lane, and ended up killing someone. And that was just the start of his off the pitch problems.
 
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Ashley R1+O

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Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it I am not saying we are good at this transfer stuff but even the most well run elite club's aren't doing what you are suggesting and then you have to factor in player and selling club as well who would also try to maximize fees and playing time it's easier said than done.
A single season is not hindsight, in De Ligt's case a couple of seasons might become hindsight if we sign him next year or the year after.
 

roonster09

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A single season is not hindsight, in De Ligt's case a couple of seasons might become hindsight if we sign him next year or the year after.
In De Ligt's case you are also assuming that player wanted to leave rather than having proper career plan where he stays at Ajax for years for game time before making the move.
 

Ashley R1+O

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In De Ligt's case you are also assuming that player wanted to leave rather than having proper career plan where he stays at Ajax for years for game time before making the move.
There is definitely some truth to that, for sure. But I go back to my original point that I don't think these signings are even remotely on radar for Woodward (maybe the club).
 

roonster09

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There is definitely some truth to that, for sure. But I go back to my original point that I don't think these signings are even remotely on radar for Woodward (maybe the club).
Well when we don't have plan and just sign players wanted by coach then it's obvious we won't make these risky signings. It's all about signing players who fit the first team. Not something I would blame Woodward completely but lack of structure and people ho thinks long term is definitely his mistake.

Still odd to bring Woodward in this thread.
 

Ashley R1+O

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Well when we don't have plan and just sign players wanted by coach then it's obvious we won't make these risky signings. It's all about signing players who fit the first team. Not something I would blame Woodward completely but lack of structure and people ho thinks long term is definitely his mistake.

Still odd to bring Woodward in this thread.
You didn't see the off-season fiasco regarding central defenders? I would have thought transfers had a lot to do with Woodward, so hey.

Anyway we're derailing this thread so people can get back on topic I'll go.
 

Heista

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Can we please chillax on the comparison with VVD and De Ligt.

It's annoying enough for us Ajax fans to be called cocky and arrogant in the Netherlands, no need to establish that reputation here as well.

Everyone can see De Ligt has potentially a very high ceiling. World class talent. But it's still on him to prove that in another more challenging, physically and mentally challenging league.

For all we know he might feel a bit lost living in a different country and may never fulfill his potential at a foreign club.

I am not saying we cant 'brag' about him, but let's not underestimate what it takes to become one of the best CB's in f.e. the Premier League.
 

Gordon S

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Hey mate, I appreciate the level headed post, good stuff. I agree with you, we aren't shrewd enough which sends a real message that nobody is really looking at transfers at this club properly since Ferguson departed.



Martial signed a year earlier from OL to Monaco. The point I always make is as an organization with a proper head on our shoulders we get in there and intercept this guy when he goes for 9m rather than throwing x million at him a year later for little to no reason other than "but maen... he might be good in a few years! 40m and 90k a week IM WOODY BITCHES!"

You make an excellent point about the signing having to be "can't fail" when sponking money at a target comes into the equation. It is dismal stuff really.
The problem is, these promising 16-17yo players become good at 20-21 because they get competitive senior football on a regular basis at these smaller clubs in weaker leagues. Coming to a club like ours and just train and have the odd cameo isn't enough, atleast for most of these young talents. It's the reason why more young english talents are looking at other european leagues for the next step in their development.

On a side note, it wouldn't be the worst idea to get players like Chong and Gomes out on a good loan somewhere already.
 

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Can we please chillax on the comparison with VVD and De Ligt.

It's annoying enough for us Ajax fans to be called cocky and arrogant in the Netherlands, no need to establish that reputation here as well.

Everyone can see De Ligt has potentially a very high ceiling. World class talent. But it's still on him to prove that in another more challenging, physically and mentally challenging league.

For all we know he might feel a bit lost living in a different country and may never fulfill his potential at a foreign club.

I am not saying we cant 'brag' about him, but let's not underestimate what it takes to become one of the best CB's in f.e. the Premier League.
How's liking a player and comparing him to Van Dijk cocky and arrogant? Worst case, we're wrong, so since it is a football forum, argue why you think our opinion is wrong instead of attacking the people with the opinion.

I did compare him on actual skills btw, and not on generic boilerplate like "did not play in the PL", "too young", etc., which could be used to say Lukaku is a better player than Mbappé.
 
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Scroto Baggins

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A lot of Ajax players end up at Spurs for some reason, dont know if its the Jewish connection, coincidence, a good stepping stone for young players? Or something else entirely?
 

Kostov

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A lot of Ajax players end up at Spurs for some reason, dont know if its the Jewish connection, coincidence, a good stepping stone for young players? Or something else entirely?
Maybe just Spurs being reasonable, go and buy talented players from a team that produces talents for years back, and sells them relatively cheap.
 

Bloedrood

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The connection is more the relationship between some of these players. Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Eriksen all played together at Ajax, and get along well. Same for Dembele and Chadli at the time, also Belgian and former Dutch eredivisie players. These players wanted to go there because they knew they'd settle easily with the others there. That, and Tottenham is seen as a good step from the Dutch eredivisie. Because they play competitively but don't have the spending some of the other top clubs have, bigger chance of playing time and more patience is expected. With Sanchez I think it was simply a case of Tottenham realising Ajax is a good source of players for them, they're probably just keeping tabs on most Ajax talents now. They were close to signing Frank de Boer too a few years ago when he was still at Ajax, but opted out when he talked too much about it to the press.
 

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*Jeremy Clarkson voice*

I went on the Internet, and I found this...

Players who went directly from Ajax to Tottenham Hotspur:
Davinson Sánchez 2017 40,000,000
Christian Eriksen 2013 13,500,000
Jan Vertonghen 2012 12,000,000

Players who came directly to Ajax from Tottenham Hotspur:
Edgar Davids 2007
Alistair Dick 1986

Players who had history with Ajax before they played at Tottenham Hotspur:
Toby Alderweireld
Edgar Davids
Christian Eriksen
Mido
Steven Pienaar
Davinson Sánchez
Rafael van der Vaart
Jan Vertonghen

Players who before they played at Ajax had a history at Tottenham Hotspur:
Alistair Dick
Mounir El Hamdaoui
 
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Ajaxsuarez

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*Jeremy Clarkson voice*

I went on the Internet, and I found this...

Players who went directly from Ajax to Tottenham Hotspur:
Davinson Sánchez 2017 40,000,000
Christian Eriksen 2013 13,500,000
Jan Vertonghen 2012 12,000,000

Players who came directly to Ajax from Tottenham Hotspur:
Edgar Davids 2007
Alistair Dick 1986

Players who had history with Ajax before they played at Tottenham Hotspur:
Toby Alderweireld
Edgar Davids
Christian Eriksen
Mido
Steven Pienaar
Davinson Sánchez
Rafael van der Vaart
Jan Vertonghen

Players who before they played at Ajax had a history at Tottenham Hotspur:
Alistair Dick
Mounir El Hamdaoui
not very complete. where are Teemu Tainio and Timothy Autoba for example?

Anyway I don't get why you're all going on about this tbh
 

11101

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Oh yea? Please list all these errors Van Dijk is making then. VVD is playing in the EPL and De Ligt is playing in Eredivisie that's a big gulf in quality there. He could end up being better than VVD all the signs are there but he's not better than him now imo
Right on schedule. Hes very good but he often does things that leave you scratching your head.
 

Sjaakmeoff

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De Ligt priority for Barca. Pique is getting old and worse and worse.


Edit: but it's Mundo Deportivo. A bit like the Daily Mail in the UK
 

izec

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Him and De Jong will end up at Barca in a double swoop is my guess. Busquets/Rakitic and Pique need replacing, perfect replacements.
 

sunama

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City as long as Pep is there, has a very big chance of signing any Ajax talent. I very much fear De Ligt going to City to replace Kompany. According to our ever objective critics it would be SO FECKING AMAZING to play under the ULTIMATE FOOTBALL MIND Pep Guardiola. It's horrifying.
You are making out that De Ligt is the best CB in the World.
He is still young and even if he were to move to MCFC, he most likely would get very little game time and there'd be no guarantee that he'd amount to anything.
Pep is about winning trophies and uses youngsters sparingly. If he ends up in a genuine battle for the title, he will rely on his more experienced players. If he ends up with a 15 point lead in the league, then he may play youngsters.

Now, if Varane moved from Madrid to MCFC, then I'd be very disappointed, but De Ligt - if he joined MCFC tomorrow, I wouldn't be at all worried.
 

Kostov

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De Ligt seems like the easiest transfer we can make in January and in my opinion he has the most potential of all the young CB being touted by the press. I rate both Romagnoli and Skriniar as top prospects also, but Inter and Milan will be much harder to force into selling in January, while I feel we can make a deal with Ajax.
 

charlenefan

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:(

tbh someone must already have dibs on him because why else would he still be at Ajax?