Overview
- Ajax have opened initial conversations with 25-year-old Bart van Rooij and see him as a likely replacement for Anton Gaaei.
- Twente continue to value Van Rooij at around €10 million, a fee Ajax consider too high and that has deterred other Dutch suitors.
- Reports say Ajax’s technical staff, including Jordi Cruyff, have tracked Van Rooij and held the first talks, which were reported on Wednesday.
- Van Rooij impressed last season with three goals and five assists in 33 league games and is known for dropping into the centre‑back line and playing line‑breaking passes.
- Van Rooij’s contract runs to summer 2028, giving Twente leverage and meaning any transfer will depend on whether Ajax will raise their offer or wait for Twente to lower its price.