I love Ajax, my blood is red and my bones are white - Serero [R]

Since Cruyff's return our Academy is in fine shape. A1 and B1 are impressing in International tournaments and it looks like our future is bright again!

Current standings, top 3s.

A1

B1

C1

D1

E1

Invincibles

..from FIFA.com "Grooming talent the Ajax way"

Not a bad lineup to have teaching the next generation!

Reports in Germany that Bayern have made a 15 Million bid for Vertonghen. Not sure if true.

Any news guys???

Very uncommon for Bayern to make a bid before there were any rumours.

Vertonghen won't leave mid-way especially with the games against Manchester United coming up. Very important pair of games where Vertonghen and the likes of VDW can get themselves in the limelight.

A 15 mil move in the summer sounds decent though. So this means he will replace the other Belgian?

Possibly. Then there is the case of always injured breno who burns his own house & is mentally not allright. Either of them.

Just a rumour though. Bayern's 1st preference is a German CB but Dortmund wont sell Bayern's youth product Hummels back to Bayern & Schalke are unlikely to sell their captain Howedes after selling Neuer this year.

Very few options. It's just a rumour. Nothing concrete. You saw what happened with the VDW rumour.

Cruijff

To keep the Ajax academy trend going in this thread..

2 of our former academy players, while not being good enough to be a Godenzoon, have proven themselves to be good enough for our rivals. Joshua John has signed for Twente and Goossens has agreed to join Feyenoord in the summer.

Ajax B1/U17 have won the game for 3rd place against Kashima Antlers from Japan who won their group over Juventus, but like Ajax failed to make the final.

Ajax had to miss Becker in the semi, but in his return to the team he had won yet another MOTM award. Damian van Bruggen scored the only goal in today's match.

Wensley was the tournaments topscorer for Ajax with 4 goals.

In other news, VDW will miss the game against AZ. Just sell him already, we know why he's not playing. You don't fool us.

Both matches or just the cup replay?

Depends on how much Ajax ask from Valencia.

From the press accounts, Valencia has come in with a low ball offer and Blind is trying to get it up before Ajax agree to let him go. He's under contract for another season after this one, so the club have leverage. I also see that Boerrigter is out again because of his back problem. I hope this isn't a long term problem for him as he's one of the better attacking players we have.

So if we sell Vertonghen we slot in Blind (serviceable but prone to giant brainfarts), Ooijer (slow and a liability in a high line) or van Rhijn (question mark)...

I wonder if there is any chance we'd buy somebody to replace him. Gouweleeuw seems to be the hottest commodity with an expiring contract. Is he left or right footed?

Or Jan could just be a good captain and stay for the full season.

The Bayern Munchen thingy is just a rumour really. I can only see Vertonghen leaving at the end of the season and most likely for the EPL like Vermaelen did as he's also linked to Arsenal now.

Denswil has signed a new contract so will probably be introduced next season and we might see some more defenders coming through. It will either be Gouweleeuw or van Dijk imo where we will show interest in. Please not a defender from abroad.

Hopefully we'll sell MeH to Fiorentina this window as well.

Ajax are giving out free codes to watch the game on EredevisieLive, nice!

Is that restricted to people in the Netherlands?

Sadfully so..

Coming back into the VDW replacement discussion, we are apparently looking at Cicinho from Palmeiras who was decent against us. But he's probably out of our price range.

Since Janmaat is the other name going around and he hasn't committed himself to Feyenoord yet, what are people's opinion on him around here?

Crap imo. But rather him than cicinho. And id prefer a short contract.

Given our past record with these types of transfers, no more than a year with an option to renew!!!

The one very positive thing about Janmaat is that he can be picked up for free in the summer.

A couple of years ago we got Atouba on a free as well.

Damn you for bringing him up I had completely forgotten about him.

Only to the people who were at the first game, unless I'm missing something.

Not sure if Verbeek and team will return the 2nd half. Players too scared to come out. Siem was injured the last time, shouldn't be allowed to play today. So unfair..

i think if Jan went to Arsenal it would be a big mistake. Talk here is that Tottenham want him also, i think its a much better option for him (arsenal is one big sinking ship. without v.persie theyre nothing) but its a worse option for us. Harry Redknapp is notorious for deadline day deals. so if they want Jan now, its bad for us as it will more than likely be a deadline day deal.