As fans rubbed their eyes and came to terms with Monday morning, it was apparent Birmingham City had been at work to conclude their agreement to sign Carlos Vicente.
The Championship club had been in an unlikely tussle with Ajax for the winger. Prior to finalising an agreement with Alavés, both clubs worked to convince the player.
Ajax thought they’d done so, before Birmingham City showed determination and came in with a big personal terms offer.
That turned the Spaniard’s head towards the Bullring rather than Dam Square. As defeat was accepted on behalf of Ajax it was conditioned by the player choosing money over the gargantuan size of the Dutch club.
Then more copium, as the kids call it, arrived from the Netherlands.
Dutch journalist Tim van Duijn stated: “Vicente isn’t coming, but I don’t get the impression that they’re too upset about it at Ajax.”
When pressed by fans on why on earth Ajax would chase a player they’re not bothered about, Van Duijn said it was because Jordi Cruyff was keen.
Now, if you’re not a casual follower of what happens in Dutch football then you may not be aware that Ajax love internal strife.
Nearly all coverage of the club is either A) Build up to an upcoming power battle, B) Commentary on an ongoing power struggle, or C) A post-mortem after the club’s latest civil-war.
Right now, we appear to have left the most recent C and are approaching A again.
Birmingham City arrival gets a kicking
Jordi Cruyff was recently announced as Ajax’s new Technical Director. He doesn’t officially start work until February, however, that’s not getting in the way of anything.
So, Ajax had lost out to Birmingham City, but it didn’t matter anyway because it was a weird Jordi idea and a sign of what may be to come.
That isn’t all from our new friend copium.
Mike Verweij, a well known Dutch journalist with good sources at Ajax and a strong record of doing the club’s media bidding, has stuck the boot in.
Speaking on a podcast, his slant is that Carlos Vicente isn’t all that anyway. Indeed, he’s a bit rubbish.
Voetbal Primeur quote him as saying: “That’s a very special story. It was made out as if there was a lot of interest. We can conclude one thing. Vicente has a very good agent, because it seems that Birmingham completely panicked and offered a huge amount.
“Ajax made enquiries, as they did with about ten players, but Ajax never made an offer. Vicente was definitely on their radar. He was on a list, that too. But no offer was made.
“What was heard was that Ajax weren’t particularly impressed with him. In the sense that they didn’t think he was much better than Edvardsen (Oliver). Even less so than Moro (Raul).”
That this all transpires just after it becomes clear Birmingham City have won the tussle is – we’re sure – an almighty coincidence!
