Who should we sign from Ajax next

[MKSpur]

I wonder whether this Ajax side is a couple of very good players with the rest being decent players playing at the top of their form which will never be repeated.

It feels similar to the recent Monaco team, they will get ransacked for their best players and once one goes it becomes a chain reaction where the others want a slice of the cash while their stock is high. See what happened to Rose when Walker got his move, fortunately the rest of the squad seem invested in what we are building as a team or are are especially loyal to Poch.

It’s a shame really as soon as a club does get everything to gel in order to challenge the elite on their smaller budget, they have to take at least a step back when they get too close. We had in the past with United raiding us for our best players, Liverpool unsettling taking and then breaking Keane, latterly Madrid with Bale and Modric.

I’d be disappointed if De Ligt went to Man U though, it’s not like they are even in CL or have a respected coach, it would all be about the £.

 

[milo]

It feels similar to the recent Monaco team, they will get ransacked for their best players and once one goes it becomes a chain reaction where the others want a slice of the cash while their stock is high. See what happened to Rose when Walker got his move, fortunately the rest of the squad seem invested in what we are building as a team or are are especially loyal to Poch.

It’s a shame really as soon as a club does get everything to gel in order to challenge the elite on their smaller budget, they have to take at least a step back when they get too close. We had in the past with United raiding us for our best players, Liverpool unsettling taking and then breaking Keane, latterly Madrid with Bale and Modric.

I’d be disappointed if De Ligt went to Man U though, it’s not like they are even in CL or have a respected coach, it would all be about the £.

My point was a slightly different one. I'm wondering whether the team, other than de Ligt and de Jong, will have a drop off in form from here and represent poor value for prospective buyers.

 

[MKSpur]

My point was a slightly different one. I'm wondering whether the team, other than de Ligt and de Jong, will have a drop off in form from here and represent poor value for prospective buyers.

I see - then I think it will definitely make a difference. The best players can give the rest of the team a lift by making a decisive contribution in the final third or by keeping you in the game when you are being outplayed. I’m sure there is an Ajax premium to apply on some of the squad based on the teams success, see Danny Drinkwater at Chelsea!

 

[milo]

I see - then I think it will definitely make a difference. The best players can give the rest of the team a lift by making a decisive contribution in the final third or by keeping you in the game when you are being outplayed. I’m sure there is an Ajax premium to apply on some of the squad based on the teams success, see Danny Drinkwater at Chelsea!

Leicester is a good parallel. I think that everyone at Ajax has hit form at the same time and that a couple of the young players have developed quicker than maybe they expected.

 

[braineclipse]

My point was a slightly different one. I'm wondering whether the team, other than de Ligt and de Jong, will have a drop off in form from here and represent poor value for prospective buyers.

Quite possibly. As you say we've seen that before. I would add style of play to that, these players have performed really well in the Ajax system, how would they do in a different system? Hard to tell.

Ultimately there will be a risk with any transfer, if that risk is greater with Ajax players than other players we might target I'm not so sure.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Leicester is a good parallel. I think that everyone at Ajax has hit form at the same time and that a couple of the young players have developed quicker than maybe they expected.

I think there is one very big difference. This Ajax team are full of ball players who are skilful, mobile, have great control and are excellent passers of the ball. The Leicester team, defended deep, defended dirty, hoofed the ball forward to Vardy and relied on the fact that referees had not yet been directed to penalise the holding and grappling from which they both successfully defended and attacked corners.

Put those Leicester players into a team used to dominating possession and playing against teams who sit back against them and very few of them would look good. Put those Ajax players into such a team and they have skills and experience of that sort of game plan to fit right in.