Steven Bergwijn left Tottenham Hotspur for Ajax last summer, months after the Dutch club failed to sign him in the winter 2022 market.
Ajax paid €31.25m to Spurs to secure the forward’s services and in the process made him the Eredivisie’s record signing.
The ex-Tottenham man has 11 goals and four assists from 27 matches in all competitions this season. Since November, he has a goal and two assists, and one assist after the World Cup.
The Netherlands international has seen a dip in his performances and has also received criticism from a certain section of Ajax supporters, former players and pundits.
Algemeen Dagblad interviewed the 25-year-old and he insists he made the “perfect choice” by leaving Tottenham for Ajax last summer.
When pressed to elaborate and explain the basis for this, he said: “I learn every day and get better at Ajax. Football is not always on an upward trend. I just didn’t expect it to tip over like that, nobody expected that.
“If you don’t win seven games, you obviously try to get the best out of yourself, but that’s difficult if the team isn’t running. Coincidentally, we were talking about it in the locker room the other day. None of us have experienced such a series.”
The Dutchman is the most expensive Eredivisie player and the price tag associated with his move to Ajax doesn’t seem to bother him.
“I’m used to it by now. The reviews fluctuate a lot. Very black and white. I’m the best when I score a lot and otherwise, I can’t do anything about it. When things went well and I was sent things, I already said: watch it,” Bergwijn explained.
“I have never been a top scorer. All I came for is winning prizes. If I’m the top scorer later, that’s great. If not, I don’t care if we’re on the Museumplein. That is the most important.
“I had not signed up for this after my start, no. Opponents only adjust to you more and you see how important it is that the team is running. I believe it’s close together and I can put down another series soon. The top scorer in the Eredivisie is eleven goals. I’m on the wing with eight [goals]. That’s not bad, is it.”
Ajax sacked Alfred Schreuder last month and the coach had used Bergwijn on both wings. The ex-Spurs attacker insists his preferred position is not on the right side of attack. AD quizzed him whether this has had an impact on his statistics this season.
“Yes, but I think that the people who only watch that have little understanding of football. It’s not just about returns, but also about how you can make your team play better,” he stressed.
