New Players for Ajax

[SPL]

Interesting comments Dave. We do seem to have a lot of young talent who will be ok for the squad as standby next season but maybe not 1st choices.Fischer of course is the exception but I expect our main squad to include Andersen, Melag, Boccara ,Denswil, possibly Sporkslede and even Bazoer as cover plus players like Dijks Klaassen and Ligeon. It could be they are not really ready for regular football with us until the following season ie 2014/15.

Thus signing some new players will depend on who goes. Enoh is easy as Boccara will take over with Poulsen staying . The main 3 who may go are of course Siem Christian and Toby .FDB does seem to favour Veltman for Toby but we really would need an experienced older right sided defender as cover.

Midfield is well covered numbers wise and although I think Siem will go I have a hunch Eriksen may stay for one more season which would be great as it would give the likes of Melag and Andersen time to develop. If both he and Siem leave I think we may sign another attacking midfielder but it could be an over 30 player like Poulsen .

Up front I too think we need a quality right winger or at least sort them out ie Fischer stays as left winger although he could play on the right ,in the centre or even no 10.

[Blind3]

For giggles :

A story that won't completely die (translation was from AN by way of Google) :

Overmars on last day in talks with Barcelona on rent Cuenca". According to El Mundo Deportivo have Ajax and Barcelona in the last few days earlier conversations about renting Isaac Cuenca resumed.

I swear this story will resurface even when the player is long retired. So far this is three times by my count.

[Blind3]

Ives Galarcep on Twitter :

Ives Galarcep ‏@SoccerByIves

Great pick-up RT @jouracule: Breaking news... Isaac Cuenca joins Ajax from FC Barcelona on loan for remainder of the season.

Then this from Fox Soccer Twitter :

The Cuenca to Ajax deal has now been confirmed; Barcelona sends the 21-year-old there on a loan as he recovers from a knee injury.

I hope Cuenca is close to ready. The idea of Ajax as a place to send players to get well is.... (scratches head and rolls eyes).

[Blind3]

Tito Vilanova, currently in NYC for treatment, reportedly told Isaac Cuenca (Twitter @CuencaIsaac) in a phone conversation that the loan move is best for his career.

[Rooie]

Overmars has confirmed that we're close to signing him on a half year loan.

[Blind3]

Found the spanish evquivalent of this at Barca site :

Incidentally, Isaac Cuenca just returned from an injury which lasted eight months, rental over a period of 5 months.

Just glad we aren't simply a rest home for the player.

[Orange14]

Paying someone to play in 15 or so matches and then saying good bye doesn't make much sense to me. It violates the sense that the club is in it for the long haul. What kind of message does this sent to Lukoki who hasn't been mentioned yet.

Are we going to be the Barca farm team in the same sense that Vitesse serve this function for Chelsea? I'm not impressed!

[paladinby]

What's the point of loaning some youngster who was injured and never made impact on senior level?

Are we becoming some disgusting moneybag's farmclub?

[Orange14]

Since Barca seems to have a lock on La Liga, the only player I'm willing to take on loan is Messi!

[Blind3]

I was thinking perhaps Lukoki was leaving at the 11th hour, but have to admit move is puzzling .

[SPL]

Would say that we only have Boerrigter Fischer on the left and Lukoki and Sana for the right so with Babel out for weeks we possibly need someone. Barca may well be paying his wages and we pay no rent after all BARCA owe Ajax ie the basis of their football ,coaches that won the first 2 CL,the setting up of a great youth complex , shall I go on . What have we got back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rooie]

Confirmed by Ajax:

http://www.ajax.nl/Nieuws/Nieuwsarchief ... celona.htm

[Blind3]

Oleguer Presas Renom .

[Blind3]

Would say that we only have Boerrigter Fischer on the left and Lukoki and Sana for the right so with Babel out for weeks we possibly need someone. Barca may well be paying his wages and we pay no rent after all BARCA owe Ajax ie the basis of their football ,coaches that won the first 2 CL,the setting up of a great youth complex , shall I go on . What have we got back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oleguer Presas Renom

[SPL]

Oleguer was not bad to start with . Seriously we can do with a right winger and Sana does not look good enough and imo will spend the rest of the season with Sulejmani in the Jong Ajax.Lukoki is very quick but a work in progress .

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Is this guy in physical condition to play ? I have my doubts. Ajax do seem to have been keen on getting him, so that at least is a good sign. I just hope the guy can actually play and contribute.

Am I the only one amused by this "Ajax HUURT Cuenca van FC Barcelona"

I know what it means, but still. The word Huurt is kind of ironic in this case.

[Blind3]

He is slightly built in true wing style and coming off an injury so I'm concerned about how much he'll be available. Hoping for the best . At least it's a loan.

[King Litti]

What I could understand translating from ajaxshowtime site: Cuenca played a friendly game last week and FdB said he is in ok condition and might even play next sunday against VVV (probably coming in from the bench, but still). He will have a medical today.

I think there is no question about it, we need more quality on the wings especially now that Babel is out again, but was Cuenca the best solution? remains to be seen. He has to adapt quickly in order to be useful to us and after he comes a part of the team, it's already time to let him go. I guess this was some kind of a panic solution when there was so little time left in the transfer window.

None of our current wingers have really been solid. Fischer has had moments of brilliance (against psv and F word) but overall he has also had a lot of average or even below average games. I would have wanted us to sign a player that has experience and who can bring in solid performances from game to game. Someone like Suarez. A constant threat, can score, can create chances, does everything he can to win (even though we don't need volleyball players or vampires in our team). I wonder what a young kid coming in to a new team after months of injury can bring to a team. I at least hope that plenty

[SE6Ajacied]

Just had Talksport radio on and they were talking about this transfer. The stance they had on it was how well regarded FdB must be by Barcelona that he s allowed to "look after" one of their star prosepects and how well regarded Cuenca was by Guardiola. Also that FdB will be a strong candidate next tome the Barecelona job is available.

Not sure how reliable this is, don't see Barcelona often and never heard of this guy before but the FdB comments are interesting.

[SPL]

He seems a big talent but having been injured for so long it will interesting to see what he offers. I am not unhappy of us getting the odd player on loan from Barca if it helps us short term. As for wingers we do have problems as both Fischer and Lukoki are unpredictable being just kids . Boerrigter and Sana are not good enough imo. Come the summer I think we need to buy a decent right winger.

[Orange14]

I watch almost every Barca game. Cuenca is the real deal and better than any winger currently on our squad. Whether he is fully recovered is another question that I cannot answer. He saw a fair amount of first team action under Guardiola.

[SE6Ajacied]

Whether he is fully recovered is another question that I cannot answer.

Which is what's interesting about what I heard on the radio. They obviously think very highly of our set up and FdB if they are letting us "look after" him. Certainly in England for example club managers are always moaning that injuries were caused or made worse by international managers usng players who were not fully fit.

[Tom_]

Would he be eligible for the UEFA Cup?

[Orange14]

Would he be eligible for the UEFA Cup?

I believe he should be since he has not played for Barcelona in any of the CL matches this current football year.

[Cruijff]

Would he be eligible for the UEFA Cup?

Yes he will be. But as Ebecilio already played for us in Europe with number 11 he will have number 28 on his back in the UEFA Cup. In league matches Cuenca will play with number 11.