“How is that possible?” – Annoyance after player went on strike to try and join Everton

Mohammed Kudus has been questioned by the Dutch media after he tried to force through a move to Everton by going on strike.

Reports late in the window made it clear Everton were keen on the Ajax midfielder, with some in England even going as far as to say a deal was close to being completed.

That did not prove to be the case, with the Dutch club rallying hard against that and insisting no such deal existed.

It transpired the discrepancy was due to an overzealous agent, who appears to have struck a deal with Everton but not between the Blues and Ajax.

Ultimately a move did not happen, with the Dutch giants electing to keep the midfielder following another summer of several high-profile departures.

This does not sit well with Kudus, who himself went on strike and refused to train, following the example of former teammates Lisandro Martinez and Antony, in an attempt to force through the move.

That strategy never paid off, but it has led to an inquest today, with SoccerNews covering Algemeen Dagblad’s coverage of the situation.

“Three refusing players in one month who try to force Ajax into a transfer: how is that possible?” they ask.

“Is Ajax not to blame then? Certainly, there is. It is clear that with Antony the possibility of a domino effect has been given. ‘Bad’, trainer Alfred Schreuder called it.

“Changes in leadership often result in a lack of clarity regarding agreements made previously. Antony mentioned a promise that he could leave, while Gerry Hamstra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and therefore also Schreuder, counted on a third and final year.

“Where Overmars resolutely announced an internal and early deadline to avoid being plagued by buying clubs the day before the deadline, they did not.”

That’s an opinion shared by former Ajax footballer Theo van Duivenbode, who believes the club set a precedent that Kudus tried to use to get to Everton.

“I think you should not create a precedent at that moment, otherwise a contract no longer counts,” he added.

“I understand that players can earn more elsewhere and see Ajax as a springboard, but you cannot reward them if they do not want to play. Then you open the gate for others.

“As a club, you have to have a straight back. How? I don’t want to sit on the chair of Ajax, but you have to make clear agreements.”