On Saturday, a report from Holland suggested that Ajax, set to lose Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea, were interested in signing Alireza Jahanbakhsh from Brighton & Hove Albion.
De Telegraaf were reporting it, and it appears that PSV Eindhoven have also joined the chase for the former AZ Alkmaar forward.
This comes from the NOS Voetbalpodcast hosts, who discussed the Iran international’s situation and what they believe would be the best move for all parties, both clubs and player alike.
Jan Roelfs kicked things off by making it clear he felt the winger should move first and foremost to Amsterdam.
He said, relayed by Soccernews.nl: “In this case, I would always go for a club that plays the Champions League. In this phase of his career, you have to take the podium. That doesn’t mean PSV may not be a better club for him, but in this phase of his career. He’s played in the Premier League, was successful at AZ, is an international for Iran. So choose Ajax”.
Jeroen Elshoff pointed out Jahanbakhsh wasn’t a like for like replacement for Ziyech, but Roelfs explained that’s not what he meant.
He said: “I’m not so much looking at the position and who replaces him, but at this stage of his career, for a player and an agent, that is a logical choice”.
Elshoff also added that if Ajax were after Jahanbakhsh, then PSV had ‘no chance’.
But, and it’s a big one, if the estimates put forward by Arno Vermeulen were correct and the Brighton player were to cost around €15-20m, then for Jeroen Greuter, the chase is already over before it’s begun.
He concluded: “PSV and Ajax will not pay that much for Jahanbakhsh. I don’t believe that. That’s too much money”.
