ESPN analysts point to PSV: “I said it last year too.”
1 min readUnlike PSV, Ajax currently seems more active on the transfer market. Recently, Daley Blind was brought back to the club by the Amsterdam side, and also Marc-André ter Stegen and Marcos Leonardo appear to be set to sign in Amsterdam soon.
According to ex-PSV player and current ESPN analyst Kenneth Perez, this is due to Ajax's appeal. The Dane also believes that PSV and Feyenoord would never be able to afford this type of player.
''Champion!'', says a joking Perez during the show World Cup talk on ESPN, after which the former midfielder draws a comparison between Ajax with PSV and Feyenoord. ''But I also said it last year: it remains an attractive club and it could just be that they end up taking part again. Look, the players who are going to Ajax now are really not going to PSV or Feyenoord. Ajax just has something", he says, referring to Leonardo alongside Caio Henrique and Marc-André ter Stegen. "Ter Stegen isn't coming for the Dutch league; he's coming because it's Ajax. And Leonardo is going to earn a fortune at Al Hilal'', says the Danish analyst.
In addition, the former footballer wonders whether Ajax is not gambling by signing players like these, given that the team is playing in the Conference League group stage. "Then you have to become champions and you have to reach the Champions League. It is nice that they are trying something and that we get a bit of tension in the league. Not that PSV once again comes out laughing in first place," the Dane says.
According to colleague Karim El Ahmadi, who himself was in Saudi Arabia between 2018 and 2022, Henrique is a good player. ''But I said it last year too: it remains an attractive club and it could very well be that they will join in again. Look, the players who are going to Ajax now really are not going to PSV or Feyenoord. Ajax just has something", he says, next to Leonardo, about Caio Henrique and Marc-André ter Stegen. "Ter Stegen is not coming for the Dutch league; he comes because it is Ajax. And Leonardo deserves a fortune at Al Hilal'', says El Ahmadi.
After that, the former player, including from Feyenoord and FC Twente, continues his praise for the Brazilian. ''Leonardo made a good impression on me at Al Hilal. He was really noticeable and decisive in matches. There were also really big stars with Karim Benzema and all those guys. So he really made a good impression. I think he’s a real asset,'' the analyst said.
Comments12
"Dan móét je kampioen worden en móét je Champions League halen." That pressure is real, and if they miss it, it will feel like a gamble. PSV fans know what that stress does, no thanks 🤬
"Leonardo verdient een godsvermogen bij Al Hilal" and El Ahmadi says he impressed with big stars around him. That sounds like confirmation he is a profile that looks great in the right setup. If Ajax rely on that, PSV better be ready to punish them early in the league.
Caio Henrique "goede speler" ok, but idk if that fixes the main problem: consistency. Conference and big signings at the same time usually means rotation chaos, and PSV will take advantage if they stay sharp.
Ter Stegen going because it is Ajax is such a classic. But bruh, if he is not even first-choice everywhere, what is the plan? Conference League or not, that squad should not be chasing "maybe they compete again" like it is a storybook.
Leonardo at Al Hilal earning a fortune is exactly why these transfers happen. Yet Ajax has to deliver sportingly, otherwise it is just mid squad vs top pressure.
Im not mad at Ajax signing names, but the logic in that quote is funny. "Players don't go to PSV or Feyenoord"... yeah because PSV actually builds and buys smarter, not just throws money at the market. If Ajax end up needing CL qualification to justify it, that pressure is gonna hurt.
I get it, Karim El Ahmadi calling Henrique a good player, sure. But PSV should not be compared like a payday competition. We build, Ajax spends to keep up.
If PSV "gets laughed at first" again, bruh i will not survive the matchweek lol. Still, Conference League prep shouldnt force Ajax to overpay for names.
"Ter Stegen komt niet voor de Nederlandse competitie, die komt omdat het Ajax is." True, but that doesnt mean PSV is less capable. It just means Ajax is selling the dream better right now.
Perez keeps saying "Ajax has just something", and ngl that narrative always hits. But if we're being honest, Caio Henrique and ter Stegen are just different tier than what PSV could comfortably match.
"Kampioen!" lol, Ajax fans really love the script. But paying a godsfares for Leonardo, and still playing Conference, is that risk or just vibes? Also Ter Stegen clearly coming for the badge, not Eredivisie football.
Kenneth Perez die zegt