A significant clear-out is underway at Ajax. Sporting director Alex Kroes has reportedly informed a group of players, controversially via a WhatsApp group chat, that they are no longer part of the club`s future plans and are free to seek transfers. According to reports, the players were explicitly told that `As long as they remain under contract in Amsterdam, they will no longer be welcome at the club`s facilities during first-team activities.` This represents a stark and perhaps unprecedented decision, marking a clear departure from traditional club protocol.
The list of players being moved on includes several notable names. Among them is former Stuttgart left-back Borna Sosa (27), who spent last season on loan at Torino in Serie A. The other players deemed surplus to requirements at Ajax are former Arsenal forward Chuba Akpom (29), ex-Manchester City prospect Carlos Forbs (21), along with Kristian Hlynsson (21), Christian Rasmussen (22), Jay Gorter (25), and Branco van den Boomen (29).
Notably, Sosa, whose loan spell at Torino wasn`t particularly successful, still has three years remaining on his contract, as do Akpom and Forbs. These three players were signed in the summer of 2023 under the now-sacked former sporting director Sven Mislintat for a combined total of €34 million. This substantial financial outlay for players now being discarded underscores the period of significant turbulence and financial challenges currently facing one of Europe`s most historically decorated clubs.
