Ajax’s decision to sign Steven Bergwijn from Tottenham for €32.5m has been labelled ‘foolish’ because they could have signed him for a lower figure.
That’s according to journalist Henk Spaan, who says it is a ‘policy error’ from the Dutch giants as they could have had Bergwijn for less in the past.
The Dutchman appears set to join the Eredivisie side in the coming days after being spotted in the Netherlands undergoing a medical.
The move is a long time in the making, with Ajax having chased his signature since the January transfer window.
Negotiations with Tottenham over a deal this summer have been underway for several weeks, but the transfer has been delayed until this month so that Ajax can register it on their books for this financial year instead.
They’re now pushing ahead with the move, fighting off late competition from the Premier League to sign a player who they once released from their youth set-up.
Bergwijn will now be given his chance to prove himself once again after a disappointing spell at Tottenham, but Spaan believes Ajax are paying over the odds.
“That (the fee) is also foolish,” Ajax Showtime report him saying.
“Ajax has been working on it for at least one and a half years. There were earlier moments to take him over if Ajax had acted faster and more adequately.
“Because of his goals against Leicester City and his good play in the Dutch team, other clubs in the Premier League are also waking up. The market value is determined there.
“That they now have to pay 32.5 million is a policy error. I think they were able to get him for 24 million euros earlier.
“Levy is not interested in the position of a player. He just looks at the market. He is not interested in the football aspect.”
