Ajax Announce Lincoln

Ajax today announce there first signing of the January window despite it being only October.

Lincoln has signed for around £10,000,000 which represents good value for money in todays climate.

Lincoln, who was born in Serra, Brazil which is located south east of the country and at 14 was signed up by Rio side Flamengo and was very quickly identified as a player with undoubted potential. So much so he made his debut at just 16 years old in a game against Corinthians at Ilha do Urubu.

He came to the field as a 65th minute substitute as Flamengo won 3-0. One week later he played his second professional match against Santos but lost 2-1.

Ajax have pulled off a coup here as clubs like Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus have all scouted Lincoln. Lincoln is yet to make his debut at senior level but with this move and Klaas Huntelaar looking like he will be leaving Ajax in January Lincoln represents something different for the club.

This is what Lincoln had to say when a Brazilian new reporter asked him about his move:
Mal posso esperar para mudar para o Ajax. Eu ouvi muito sobre eles e estou ciente de que, para um jovem jogador ser capaz de arriscar na Europa, o Ajax é um dos melhores clubes para ir. Eles chegaram à semifinal da Liga dos Campeões na última temporada e a chance de trabalhar com um gerente muito bom e um técnico ofensivo como Dennis Bergkamp é uma chance que eu não poderia recusar. Vou continuar fazendo o meu melhor pelo Flamengo até sair.
I can not wait to move to Ajax. I have heard a lot about them and I am aware that for a young player to be able to chance in Europe, Ajax is one of the best clubs to go to. They made the Champions League semi-final last season and the chance to work with a very good manager and an attacking coach like Dennis Bergkamp is a chance that I could not turn down. I will continue to do my best for Flamengo until I leave.

1

Red Bull Salzburg vs Ajax

What are you all playing at!!! We are 1-0 down as you guys don't look like you give a shit! Marcos (Rojo) how many bloody times have I said to you.....STAY ON YOUR FEET. (Rojo bows head). Ho the hell is Dominik (Livakovic) meant to be able to be a decent goalkeeper if we have shit defenders in front of him. I EXPECT YOU ALL TO PERFORM BETTER.

Jurgen (Ekkelenkamp) I understand your young but I picked you ahead of Jack (Grealish) because I thought you deserved a chance, now get out there and prove it to me! (Jurgen just sits there). GO NOW (Frank shouting at Jurgen) get out there now with Donny (Van de Beek) and Jack and warm the hell up otherwise I will take you off very quickly. Jack? (turns and looks at de Boar) actually warm up and now do not mess around otherwise I will drop you completely next time! (The three of them leave the dressing room early.

Unfortunately Youssef looked decent for the 30 minutes you lasted and I am not going to have a go at you Dusan (Tadic) either because no one has given you anything. Quincy (Promes keep on your persistence down the left. David (Nares) and Naci (Unuvar) you have both struggled so your coming off, Pione (Sisto) your on and Jack will be on too but not telling him this yet.

YOUR GAME HAS TO IMPROVE. Do you want to go down 3 games in the group that we should be getting through? (all say no). So go and f**king show me then!

(de Boar walks out slamming the door)
(There is a awkward silence)

Dusan Tadic: Come on boys, we are letting ourselves down, I have never seen the boss like that so we had better do something in the second half!

(All leave the dressing room)

(48th minute) Well Salzburg have started well in the second, carrying on from the first half. Junuzovic on the ball, sends one down the line for the impressive Ulmer to chase....... First time cross.....WHAT A GOAL!!!! its Prevljak again! RB Salzburg are on the way to a famous victory and one that could put Ajax out of the Champions League. Frank de Boar is going crackers on the touchline.

Prevljak makes it 2-0 Salzburg

(56th Minute) Salzburg are all over Ajax here! Minamino with the ball now, 25 yards out, there are runners all over the place, Hee- Chan picks it up, he skips past Rojo and into the area..... Penalty given! Rajkovic is going crazy and states Minamino dived. The referee has been referred to VAR and goes across to look at the screen....... Oh yes Minamino dived there surely. The penalty has been overturned.

(64th Minute) Van de Beek finally gets the ball and feeds Grealish on the wing, he chips it over to Promes, who hits it first time to Ekkelenkamp. Ekkelenkamp runs and skips past Wober as if he wasn't there..... He plays it to Tadic..........GOAL!!!! first time hit and 2-1, Ajax back in the game.

(75th minute) Ajax looks like the team they should be now and Tadic is in the middle of everything! here's Kik Pierie who tries the through past but cut out by Junuzovic. He is dispossessed straight away by Tadic, who goes round one, past Szoboszlai as if he wasn't there and...........Oh my god that is an absolute cracking goal by Tadic. he was must have been 30 yards out and the keeper did not move! 2-2 and game on, de Boar is urging his players forward, he knows a win is a must.

(85th minute) Here's Grealish driving at the box. Dest overlaps but Grealish ignores him and loses the ball. Ajax players are going mad at him and he's just saying to calm down but they have a point, it was 4 on 2 at one point but he wanted to go it alone. This might have lost Ajax the win. Ajax will see this as a defeat.

(90th minute) There is 4 minutes to be added on and Grealish finally makes a pass here to Promes, who gives it back to Grealish and this time he does drive at the box....What a back heel that it to Tadic and it looks like Pongracic had manhandled him down but the referee says play!!! the Ajax players are going mad and Salzburg on the attack but it has been stopped and VAR have got involved to go and look at the incident......

This is a long hold, will there be a penalty, it looked one to me. The PENALTY is given! The Salzburg players are absolutely distraught. Surely this is is going to be Dusan Tadic going for his hattrick?

There is a delay here as the referee is making sure the players are outside the box, Stankovic is doing everything he can to put off the Serbian striker but Tadic scored 28 goals last season, has 4 in 6 this season. The referee is finally happy and blows his whistle....... GOAL, Tadic sends the keeper the wrong way hitting it into the right corner and Ajax have unbelievably pulled this match around in what could be a kick start to the Champions League season now!

Tadic scores the decisive penalty

(94th Minute) The ref blows his whistle and de Boar is ecstatic as Tadic is given the match ball and Ajax live to fight another day but only just

October: The Good, The Bad and The Almost Ugly

Ajax celebrate after defeating Salzburg

It was a good month for Ajax in the end with a first Champions League victory in dramatic style. They started the month with a 2-1 defeat but then went the rest of the month undefeated. 20 goals scored, 5 goals conceded again show Ajax have a monopoly on the Eredivisie and the bold claims made by PSV this season that they can bridge the gap was a pipedream.

Also a fantastic day for the amateur side VVOG as they hosted Ajax in the first round of the Dutch Cup.


Ajax started the month against Liverpool and to be honest went into the game probably not expecting much from it. Frank went with David Nares, Quincy Promes and Naci Unuvar behind En-Nesyri but it was to no avail. Ajax did however take the lead as David Nares rose to head home a Greaklish corner. Salah equalised for the home side ahead on 14 minutes and the same player got the second goal 5 minutes later. Ajax then came back into the match and through Siem de Jong, Hakim Yiyach and Ryan Gravenberch going close but it was Brazilian David Neres who went closest to getting the equaliser, hitting the post in the last 5 minutes. Liverpool can count themselves lucky to come away with a win.

Neres scores the first against Liverpool, but Ajax go down 2-1

Ajax carried on there good form in the Eredivisie with a convincing 3-0 win over Sparta. Youssef En-Nesyri was dropped by Ajax after just one goal in 8 games for Dusan Tadic. Tadic could count himself unlucky for being dropped anyway and gave manager Frank de Boar something to thing to think about as he bagged 2 goals, this started a crazy scoring run for the experienced striker.

The game against RKC saw de Boar change formation, playing both Tadic and En-Nesyri up front with Kik Pierie still deputising for the injured Tagliafico. Some fans claiming the young Dutchman (a £4,000,000 signing from Heerenveen) is performing better than the highly rated Argentine wing back and it was the young, highly rated Dutchman that in the 3rd minute fizzed a low cross into the box, where 16-year0oldNaci Unuvar struck to make it 1-0. Unuvar has been attracting the interest of Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal. Ajax made the right decision in getting Unuvar to sign a professional deal and for 5 years which means clubs will have to pay a fortune if Ajax want to sell. Ziyech was then fouled in the box on 9 minutes to which Tadic scored his 3rd goal in two games to make it 2-0. Ajax were all over RKC all match and Donny van de Beek finished the scoring off for Ajax to win 3-0 again.

Kik Pierie has been impressive at left back this season

Then came the champions league game where Dusan Tadic hit a hattrick to make it an amazing 7 goals in three games

After that Ajax played ADO, who have had a good start to the season. Frank de Boar stated prior to the match that Hassane Bande would start on the bench since his horrific injury in pre season where he broke his foot. Ajax dominated the first half but no one scored. De Boar threw all three substitutes on at half time. Sisto, Bande, an de Beek all came on for Grealish (who was thrilled....), En-Nesyri and Promes. Hassane Bande was absolutely fantastic! two goals in 14 minutes turned the tie on its head and I must admit ADO's manager Alfons Groenendijk has got his team playing well, there compact in defence and a very good counter attacking side but unfortunately for ADO, Ajax can finish games very well and when Bande (who got player of the match) delivered a pinpoint whipped cross for van de Beek to thrash it home.

Bande came on, scored two and set up the third, is this the start of a first team run?

In the Dutch Cup 1st Round Ajax were drew away to amateur side VVOG. There was a sell out crowd of 6,733 people and it was also where two extremely talented Liam van Gelderen, a 18-year-old Dutchman who has been at Ajax since the start of his career and also 19-year-old American Alexis Mendez, who joined Ajax from Freiburg on a free this season. He had started his career at LA Galaxy but made no appearances for Galaxy or Freiburg.
Mendez scored on his debut in a 7-0 win. But it was the fact that De Boar named a strong team so that the fans of VVOG got to see the likes of Ziyach, Unuver, Grealish and Armini. VVOG had a goal disallowed but they gave a great account of themselves but Ajax march on.

Eredivisie Table

If you take Ajax out of the equation because they are already 8 points clear, the competition for the second and final Champions League place is hotting up. PSV are back upto 2nd but on there heels are Heerenveen (21 points), FC Gronigen (20 points) and VVV-Venlo (19 points). It is not going to be straight forward for PSV to claim second this season.
Vitesse have been shocking this season and remain bottom. AZ have picked up though.

Champions League Table

It is back in Ajax's hands now. As long as Young Boys do not get anything from playing Liverpool. The unlikely crunch match will be Ajax vs Young Boys

PSV need a minor miracle to get through now but they did pick up a good 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid but it is a very, very tough group.

Ajax Player Of The Month

Dusan Tadic

When Youssef En-Nesyri got dropped and replaced by the experienced Tadic, he rattled in 7 goals in 3 games. Dusan Tadic just took off this month and it is going to be eventful next month if Tadic carries on this form and you have to fear for En-Nesyri because he was bought in to be number 1 but just has not cut it.

November: PHEW!

Difficult Month for de Boar this month
What a interesting month for Ajax this month. Two players impressed and one continued to struggle. Jack Grealish & Hakim Ziyach have SAVED Ajax this month struggled to score but after the 0-0 draw with Fortuna Sittard, Frank de Boar changed his formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 5-2-2-1. It worked with Ziyach netting half of the goals scored by Ajax this month.



The month started really well with a 3-1 victory in the De Klassieker derby. Quincy Promes had the match of his life and hit the first of two goals with finesse from 25 yards out after a cracking through ball by man of the match Jack Grealish. Three minutes later and Dusan Tadic delivered a low fizzed cross for Donny van de Beek to power home from around 8 yards out. If only van de Beek could do that more often! Quincy Promes then finished of a crazy 9 minutes by scoring a placed shot from just outside the area. The pressing issue though was the fact that Ajax had 27 shots on goal but only scored three.

Promes was excellent against Fayenoord

Ajax continued to struggle in the Champions League however as there trip to the EM Stadion Wals-Siezeheim was a fruitless visit as goals from Masaya Okugawa & Antoine Bernede scored in either half to give the Austrians a 2-0 victory putting Ajax in last place in Group D. There is much to do for the Dutch side if they are going to progress, making the match against Young Boys an absolutely mahoosive match.

Masaya Okugawa was the reason Ajax lost to Salzburg

After the disappointment of the defeat in the Champions League, Ajax had a couple of very strange games where Ajax did not get beat but dropped points allowing PSV to make up ground. Ajax flew out of the blocks and Quincy Promes & Hussaine Bande both went close early on but again this match would show that Ajax are struggling in front of goal. Reports that de Boar is looking at signing Erling Haaland does not surprise me. En-Nesyri has struggled with goal returns since coming into Ajax. In the second half Willem shocked the leaders when Dankerlui scored a free kick that he won himself. Ajax were rattled so de Boar threw on Grealish. He terrorised the defence for half an hour when in the 6th minute of 5 minutes added on he was bought down in the box. The referee went to the monitor and a penalty was given. Hakim Ziyach slashed the ball home to salvage a point for Ajax.

Then came there poorest performance of the season so far and for the first time this season, did not score a goal. Ajax needed to do something different as Fortuna are second from bottom but played as if they were top and Ajax were second from bottom. Again the performances of Ziyach & Grealish were pleasing but both Tadic and En-Nasyri shot blanks. With Young Boys coming up, this was extremely concerning.

It might have been a blessing in disguise that Ajax travelled to the Wankdorf stadium in Switzerland to face Young Boys. A win for the home side and they make the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time. Ajax changed there formation to a 5-2-2-1 with two CM's, 2 inside forwards and one up front. This though was the match where Grealish and Ziyech absolutely terrorised the home side and took the game by the scruff of the neck. Grealish hit the bar after 45 seconds, Ziyech hit the post after 7 minutes and in Slobadan Rajkovic returning from injury, he was a great partner for Veltman and Pierie. In the 15th minute Ajax got the goal they deserved. Tagliafico (also back from injury) stormed down the left, lofted the ball over to the slippery Grealish who laid it off to Ziyech to smash home from just outside the box.
Ziyech then scored the second just before half time by running through (literally through the defence did not move) the defence and rounded the keeper to make it 2-0. Young Boys got one back but it wasn't enough. It lifts Ajax into 2nd in the table and now a win against Liverpool will be enough to get into the knockout round.

Cool Ziyach after scoring the first of two goals in the crunch Champions League match against Young Boys

Ajax finished the month off with a 2-0 win against FC Twente. Goals from Ziyech (another Grealish won pen) and a towering Rajkovic header kept PSV at arm length. It is definitely going to be a interesting December.

Eredivisie Table

There are 5 teams unbeaten in there last 5 games this month. Ajax (W3, D2), PSV (W5), VVV-Venlo (W4, D1), Heracles (W2, D3) and Willem II (W2, D3).
PSV have halved the deficit to Ajax as when Ajax dropped points by drawing, PSV won all of there matches this month. A big shout out to VVV who are doing an absolute brilliant job but just can not keep up with the top two in the league. Vitesse continue to struggle and are now already 6 points off safety.

Champions League

PSV are right back in the competition now and a victory against Juventus would give them a chance of going through but it would then depend on Red Bull Leipzig defeating Atletico Madrid, which is not out of the question.


Ajax has a simple task. Beat Liverpool to guarantee a spot in the knockout phases. I do not think de Boar will look at anything else but knowing it is in there hands is a bonus. Can they beat the powerhouse that is Liverpool though?

Player Of The Month

Hakim Ziyach has scored 4 of the 8 Ajax goals, he is a constant threat alongside Jack Grealish but if it was not for him Ajax would not have the Champions League within there control. Easy decision.

Ajax confirm Another Striker

Haaland Joins

Ajax appear to be doing all there business for January early as they have stole a march on the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid by confirming 19-year-old Erling Haaland will be joining Ajax from Reb Bull Salzburg for a fee for £41,100,000 with £30,000,000 up front.

Haaland joins on a 4 and a half year deal worth £56,000 a week and it is understood that because Ajax showed the firm interest straight away and that is the reason the youngster has moved to the club.

Haaland is a Norwiegan international but was born in Leeds, England and started his career at his hometown club in Bryne. Haaland moved to Molde and spent two years in the Norweigan Premier League and made just 39 appearances, scoring 14 goals. That made Salzburg pay Molde £4,000,000. Haaland was already on the radar of the big teams.
Haaland only played twice last season due to injury but scored in both his appearances. This season however Haaland has been in scintillating form and this has cause Ajax manager Frank de Boar to spend money on the exciting striker.

Erling has the potential to be an amazing footballer and we at Ajax are the side to help him achieve his goals. I am trying to build a side capable of winning the Champions League, The Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup. I feel we are not far from the team required to take on the Champions League. I think with Lincoln and Haaland coming in and with Tadic and En-Nesryi we are looking good.

The transfer will go through on the 1st January 2020

December Report, Winter Break Preview & Transfer Window Possibilities

So it is going to be a shorter December report this month as we are going to talk about the benefits of the winter break and how it works for Holland when it comes to Europe and players being refreshed.

This month included a fantastic result against Liverpool but it was followed by a surprise defeat from the surprise package this season VVV-Venlo. Ajax still scored 10 goals in 6 games and this month it was shared between all positions. The biggest releif came when Youssef En-Nesryi scored his first goal in 18 games against Liverpool in a highly impressive 2-1 victory. The previous game had been a dull 0-0 draw against bottom club Vitesse. Parr Schuurs got the ball rolling and although Liverpool got one back in the second half, Ajax continued to time waste and win free kicks thanks to the attacking flair of Grealish and Ziyach.

Ajax then suffered a rare defeat in the Eredivisie when themselves and VVV played out an entertaining match where VVV triumphed 3-2. Goals from Ziyach and Promes were not enough as the plucky VVV roared back to stun Ajax.


Marin scores in the cup, his first for Ajax

Ajax then got a regulation 3-1 win in the Dutch cup where Kik Pierie scored his first goal for the club. Leicester City target Dusan Tadic then doubled the lead before Razvan Marin hit his first goal for the club to to give Ajax a 3-1 victory.

The last two games of the month before the winter break were against RKC & Heerenveen respectively and this is where Jack Grealish claimed two of his best goals (one in either game). Grealish was nodded the ball by En-Nesryi and on the volley he rifled it into the top corner. Hakim Ziyach got the winner against RKC with a curled effort. Can Ajax hold onto Ziyach? time will tell? Grealish scored the only goal of the game against Heerenveen with a sweetly hit 20 yard free kick.

Eredivisie

Ajax are 3 points clear but have a superior goal difference to PSV. FC Utretch and FC Groningen have improved whereas VVV's win against Ajax helped them continue to keep up in there pursuit of the top 3. At the bottom of the table its ridiculously tight with 8 points covering PEC Zwolle in 13th to bottom club Vitesse on 12 points but now only bottom on goal difference.

Champions League Draw

Some very interesting matches in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Manchester City against Barcelona, Spurs vs Real Madrid, Dortmund against Juventus and Ajax against Bayern Munich. If Ajax play like they did against Liverpool then they will have a chance.
For me the stand out tie is Napoli against Benfica! Benfica were unbeaten in there group and Napoli have just hired Jose Mourinho as there manager!

Winter Break and Transfer Window

The Dutch League go on there winter break with no football allowed from 25.12.19 until 02.01.2020. This is to give the players a break and in theory it gives Holland an advantage over some of the other leagues that have a crazy schedule. During this break Ajax will go to Germany on the 28.01.2020 for training and will play two friendlies against Karsruhe and then against Hoffenheim to get match fit for the first game back on the 18th January.


Erling Haaland is about to move to Ajax in January, can he make a difference?

The window opens for transfers and Ajax are signing two players already with forwards Lincoln & Erling Haaland coming into the the club. That could signal the end for two attackers at Ajax with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dusan Tadic looking the most likely to go. Ajax have a youth rule and with Leicester looking to spend at least £30m on Tadic, 31, it just seems good business to sell. Newcastle, Inter and Bournemouth are interested in Huntelaar who has played twice this season.


Ajax do not want Ziyach to leave, however Tadic might be on way to Leicester City

There are a host of teams looking at a host of Ajax's players and I bet de Boar is happy his team got to the Champions League knockout rounds because Hakim Ziyach is wanted by the likes of Man City, R. Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. Donny van de Beek is wanted by P$G and Man United. 17 year old defender Kenneth Taylor is wanted by Liverpool and Arsenal, he has a £90m price tag. 16 year old Naci Unuvar, who HAS signed a professional contract has a £130m price tag on his head to stave off the attention of Liverpool and Man Utd.

Kenneth Taylor, a Dutchman who has made his breakthrough under Frank de Boar is wanted by Liverpool and Arsenal, but essentially he has a pro deal so will not leave for peanuts.

Who could Ajax buy?
Ajax are reportedly still looking at Man City midfielder Phil Foden. It is rumoured that Ziyach will will only be sold to Man City if they throw Foden in with the deal!
It has also been in the papers that Ajax are looking at Ross Barkley for around £20,000,000 and it is understood that Barkley would be interested in the challenge.


Foden and Barkley are on Ajax's radar

Finally Genk's defensive midfielder Sander Berge is of interest to Ajax. The 21-year-old is available for around £25,000,000 and it looks as though he is one of Frank de Boar's biggest targets.

Sander Berge could move to Amsterdam in the Transfer Window as de Boar is reportedly a big fan of the 21-year-old