New Players for Ajax

[Blind3]

It's great to be back after a month in purgatory. Danny Blind's last name and shirt number not recognized as a sign in on an Ajax Board ? Strange days.

Anyway, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson has 18 goals in total this yr, according to Wikipedia. Looks like a good potential signing.

[orange goblin]

Seems we have green light to talk with Sigthorsson. And we are also talking to belgian top talent Mats Rits. Good!

[Justin]

Ajax is also looking at Joris Mathijsen (31 years old, Dutch international, plays with HSV) as a replacement for Vertonghen. (Source: Sport 1)

[souras84]

Ajax is also looking at Joris Mathijsen (31 years old, Dutch international, plays with HSV) as a replacement for Vertonghen. (Source: Sport 1)

No! I cant even compare the 2 of them. Why should we do this?

[Orange14]

Ajax is also looking at Joris Mathijsen (31 years old, Dutch international, plays with HSV) as a replacement for Vertonghen. (Source: Sport 1)

No! I cant even compare the 2 of them. Why should we do this?

He is still the starter on the Dutch NT. Defenders have longer careers than other field players and I suspect that Joris has a couple more good years. Vertonghen is likely gone this summer and we need a good replacement. I don't think there is anyone in the youth ranks that can step in at this point.

[rjf1]

As Ooijer has shown on the occasions he has been called upon. An older, more experienced hand helps to organize and steady the defense as you blood the younger players.

[souras84]

OK guys, but I believe that mathijsen is never gonna be as good as Ooijer. Plus his paring with Heitinga, looked a bit shaky last summer. I hope he proves us wrong and he has developed! Still we need to get Oleguer off our asses

[Orange14]

OK guys, but I believe that mathijsen is never gonna be as good as Ooijer. Plus his paring with Heitinga, looked a bit shaky last summer. I hope he proves us wrong and he has developed! Still we need to get Oleguer off our asses

Oleguer is out of contract next month and won't be renewed. Mathijsen is better than Oojier at this point given the age differential. Heitinga was the weak link in the WC last summer; he spaces out of matches on occasion.

[Flipster81]

I read today that Mathijsen & Elia will be allowed to leave HSV, hopefully both (mainly Elia) will be playing in the ArenA next season.

Personally though, although Mathijsen is an international regular and Dutch I would prefer Hector Moreno from AZ. He's technically good enough, strong and playing well in Verbeeks fancy 3-man rotation defence.

[souras84]

all this talk gets down to point I was thinking about the other day! If Oranje are to make the next step and win a major tournament (i think the next EURO is a big chance for them) they need a good pair of DC's... Any thoughts?

[Flipster81]

Honestly, what your saying is probably valid souras, but, they could of won the tournament in South Africa if van Marwijk hadn't turned the team into thugs. The forward line had more than enough to trouble the Spanish back line and the midfield could easily match up to the laboured build up, just by pressing hard.

Oranje just needed to attack them, not physically like they did! v.Marwijlk though they would crumble under intense physicality, when he should have used technique and physical strength. All he had to do was watch how Inter dismantled Barca in the CL and copy. Not watch UFC all night and say 'Boys, do THAT! :P

[ajaxcolombia]

I thin the techncal abilities of players like De Jong also played aganst Van Marwijk. I agree he could have replicated what inter did with Barca, however, don't know if he had the personnel to do so. It's true the team had more than enough talent on the offensive end, but I believe most of the fouls and thug lke play were due to De Jong lack of timing, and even Van Bommel.

[Orange14]

I thin the techncal abilities of players like De Jong also played aganst Van Marwijk. I agree he could have replicated what inter did with Barca, however, don't know if he had the personnel to do so. It's true the team had more than enough talent on the offensive end, but I believe most of the fouls and thug lke play were due to De Jong lack of timing, and even Van Bommel.

You can get the full match statistics here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key= ... l=en#gid=0 The only foul committed by de Jong was the karate kick for which he received the yellow card. After that he was ultra careful to avoid anything that would have given him a second yellow. Van Bommel's play was much worse, many cynical plays some of which were not called by the match official. Total foul count 27 for ND, 19 for ESP. von Bronkhorst had the second highest total for us: 4; go figure.

[ajaxcolombia]

I remember Van Bommel's "technical foul" against Uruguay that led to Van Brockhort's long range effort. It certainly showed Van Bommel's spirit during the World Cup.

Anyway, I guess I was victim to a sort of mythical satanization of De Jong, which is proven wrong by those statistics, always good to debunk and refresh ones common sense of things (particularly important for me as an anthropology student).

With regards to Mathisjen as replacement for Vertonghen, the main dfference I see between the two of them is that Mathisjen does not have the ability to rush the team and organize attack from the back like Vertonghen. This would mean we need a midfielder who can step up and do what Vertoghen does in this terms. Other that, maybe with Mathisjen we could improve our defending on high crosses wich have been quite a problem for this team, particualrly against a team with strong wingers like herenveen that forced a lot of corners.

[Kowalczyk]

Ajax more or less confirmed that they're after four players at the moment.

1. Derk Boerrigter (RKC Waalwijk, left footed forward)
Almost a done deal, fee reportedly 600,000 euros.

2. Theo Janssen (FC Twente, left footed playmaker/midfielder)
Limited transfer fee of 3M euros, Frank de Boer confirmed his interest, agent says there are more options, but according to media reports Janssen wants to move to Ajax.

3. Kolbeinn Sigthursson (AZ, striker)
Players wants to move to Ajax and Ajax only, AZ an Ajax still negotiating, AZ want 5M, Ajax initially offered 2M, but have (reportedly) now offered 3.5 or even 4M.

4. Thulani Serero (Ajax Cape Town, offensive midfielder/'shadow striker')
According to many reports this is a done deal already, but no confirmation from Ajax as yet.

Frank de Boer has been quoted saying that he will have no further wishes if these four can be signed up. This will, of course, change if others leave (for example Stekelenburg, Van der Wiel, Vertonghen or even El Hamdaoui: there are some Galatasaray rumours).

K.

[Ayman]

What about defenders? I wonder if Ajax can lure back Cristian Chivu to the Amsterdam Arena. He is 31 and Inter are in dissarray. Also one defender wont be enough, we should try and sign Khalid Boularouz. As for Theo Janssen, nah I dont like him, I hope he ends up with Dortmund or something. I do hope Ajax sign another winger in Elia, he is good, and is under rated.

[SE6Ajacied]

Ajax more or less confirmed that they're after four players at the moment.

1. Derk Boerrigter
2. Theo Janssen
3. Kolbeinn Sigthursson
4. Thulani Serero
K.

Haven't seen a lot of these players except Janssen of course. He's certainly committed and gives 110% but also gives of the impression (on the pitch of course) that he can't stand Ajax. Would be a good addition I suppose. 600,000 Euro's sounds a lot to pay for someone we only got rid of a couple of years ago though.

[Ajaxfanuk]

Janssen? Oh No I can't stand him!

[Ayman]

I know what you mean ajaxfanuk, Id prefer Stijn Schaars to Theo Janssen

[Philippe]

What about defenders?

I understand that if Vertonghen leaves he could be replaced by Mathijsen.

[Orange14]

Regarding Theo Janssen, I have only one name to mention: Robbie Wielaert!!!! I can't even believe that we are after a 30 year old midfielder who is slow and only has one good point to his game, a wicked left foot. Exactly who is he going to replace in the lineup? He's not as mobile as de Zeeuw and he's certainly not going to keep Eriksen out of the lineup. Let him go to Dortmund or wherever. I have no issues with the other three but given all the wingers we have in the system why do we need to spend any €s on Boerrigter? Is he really any better than Sulejmani or some of the other players we have?

[SPL]

Regards wingers Ozbiliz may go on loan leaving just Sulejmani and Ebecilio.
Lukoki, de Sa Ondaan de Bondt and Kishna are all teenagers coming through but he needs someone with experience to cover.Not sure Boerrigter is the right choice ,just one season in eredivisie
with RKC ie 2009/10.

As for paying 600k for an old boy , we paid 1.5m for Sno and about 2m for Lindgren.

[Ayman]

Boerrigter showed more promise, remember when Ajax played RKC in the KNVB cup he scored and caused a penalty. I believe he is the right choice. As for Mathijsen? Nah! Send him to PSV Eindhoven. As for as Theo Janssen goes, like I said we should go for Stijn Schaars.. he is more influential and is good going forward and defensive midfield. We dont need Theo Jannsen. But I do hope Vertonghen does leave...and that Ajax sign Chivu.

[souras84]

Boerrigter showed more promise, remember when Ajax played RKC in the KNVB cup he scored and caused a penalty. I believe he is the right choice. As for Mathijsen? Nah! Send him to PSV Eindhoven. As for as Theo Janssen goes, like I said we should go for Stijn Schaars.. he is more influential and is good going forward and defensive midfield. We dont need Theo Jannsen. But I do hope Vertonghen does leave...and that Ajax sign Chivu.

Yeah! Schaars has always been a good player and I dont know why havent we moved for him! Chivu would be great, but after tasting the honey of playing abroad, I dont think he'll return that easy

[gordonvandekamp]

Agree we could use another defender, especially if Vertonghen (and possibly van der Wiel) leave. Seems like that's the case every year.

I'm also not sure about Jannsen, he's the type of player few opposing fans can stand. I think there may be better players we could get, but I also read an interesting analysis. Basically from just buying him, it could hurt Twente and their title chances. That along with PSV not having Champion's League money and not making big purchases gives us a bit of a leg up over our biggest competition going into next season.