After a week of pretty transparent negotiating tactics, Ajax have agreed a fee with Tottenham Hotspur, which the latter will almost certainly be pleased with.
Ajax had originally been pushing Tottenham for a little over €40m, with the figure described in the Netherlands as symbolic.
The Dutch club’s original ‘not for sale’ stance was accompanied in the Netherlands, in media close to Ajax, with so many caveats about not being able to turn down a huge offer that it instead seemed to be ‘FOR SALE… but at a price which makes us look good’.
There appeared to be some surprise when Tottenham didn’t care less about that, and the reactions didn’t give confidence in Ajax’s overall plan.
First, Tottenham, owned by currency Billionaire Joe Lewis, were warned about the dropping value of sterling, and that Sanchez could therefore be costing them more every single day.
Then interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea seemed to be fabricated, especially in the case of the Spanish club. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, who seemed to be getting their information from a source very close to Ajax, stated several times Madrid were preparing an offer.
Unfortunately for the Tottenham-pressure plan, not only did the Madrid media not go big with the idea, as they certainly would if there was the chance of a scrap of truth, they pretty much ignored it all together.
Then Tottenham were told a new price, again via De Telegraaf, of €50m. This was the demand, and it was all so transparent.
De Telegraaf report the final agreed fee is €35m, plus a further €10m. There’s no clear explanation of how and when the €10m will be paid by Tottenham… and if it was heavily weighted in Ajax’s favour there certainly would be.
Of course the €45m figure is the one shouted out, but it’s quickly explained the actual agreed fee is €35m + €10m.
Unfortunately, at least according to one De Telegraaf journalist, Davinson Sanchez leaves for Tottenham via the backdoor, and it could all have been so different.
Maybe it’s time for a brief period of self reflection at Ajax, before they throw themselves into more negotiations for other players.
