Freiburg 1st team played on Thursday and Friday. and Mendez is listed with II, he was never part of the 1st team camp anyways.
Per Google Translate: Ajax has reached an agreement with Alex Mendez and SC Freiburg about the immediate transfer of the player to Amsterdam. The midfielder signed a contract that will take effect immediately and has a duration of three seasons, up to and including 30 June 2022. Mendez was born on September 6, 2000 in South Central Los Angeles, United States. The 18-year-old American youth international, who also holds a Mexican passport, comes from the German SC Freiburg. Mendez will join the selection of Young Ajax as soon as possible.
Fantastic move, obviously. Being on a squad that dominates possession fits his skills more than Freiburg.
Big investment/commitment for Ajax (though obviously more manageable than for smaller Dutch clubs) and an enormous raise for Mendez, who was rumored to be on 1,000 euros a month at Freiburg. In the Eredivisie, the minimum salary went up for non-EU passport holders. It is now €436,202 for players ages 20 or older and €218,000 for players under 20. Big barrier to entry. https://t.co/TEkTREOw96— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) June 3, 2019
His 3rd year of the contract will take him into the higher threshold. Maybe it's just because Ajax has the money to support it but Ledezma's contract with PSV ends before he gets to 21, so he has to earn a second contract to get that higher minimum
Good luck to the young man. Freiburg has never worked out for young YA. Hopefully Ajax will for Alex.
Did this come out of left field or I have been under a rock and totally missed that Ajax were in the picture? Regardless..... I love this move. Mendez is tailor made for the Ajax style. His ability to keep possession while looking for those channels to move the ball into attacking areas and his tendency to put himself in scoring positions has me super excited to see how Ajax can transform him. If he starts out with the Jong Ajax in the Eerste Division so be it. It's still a great place to learn and earn meaningful minutes. Exciting times with the Yank contingent at Ajax. John O'Brien must be proud somewhere in California.
Maybe Dest and Mendez can try and convince Pierie to switch Or maybe Alvarez will try and tap up Mendez to switch
i was just getting down in the dumps after @zlebmada podcast where they talked about how poor a fit freiburgs style of play was for mendez and this best case club scenario goes and happens
Can't wait to hear the argument that this is Actually Bad because it makes it more likely he'll switch to Mexico, due to reasons.
Can someone educate me. Freiburg sign and then sold him in pretty sort order or was his contract with Freiburg just that short?
...and freiburg had to have made some cash, no? the question also is, does the galaxy make any $$? ajax saw something and we're willing to back what their scouts saw with euros. you have to pay to bring young uns in in the netherlands. this guy is a perfect fit.
Not bad for a stagnating player I suppose (Mendez, for example, is currently stagnating with the Freiburg U19s. Emerson Hyndman, for example, set his career back *years* by leaving Fulham for an EPL team that had no interest in using him. The list is long and not distinguished...)— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) April 11, 2019