Valentijn Driessen urges Ajax regarding Luuk de Jong
1 min readIt is simply impossible to imagine Luuk de Jong in an Ajax shirt. This applies, for example, to lifelong PSV fans like Mark van Bommel. Nevertheless, at De Telegraaf they think they know that Ajax would do well to persuade Luuk de Jong to choose the Amsterdammers.
That certainly may not be called realistic, but that aside. Valentijn Driessen and Mike Verweij clearly see it differently. Not only would the 35-year-old veteran fit the Amsterdam side, but FC Twente and other clubs should also possibly make an attempt to bring De Jong back, according to the conclusion of the journalists in the weekly podcast of the newspaper. The critics do not expect De Jong’s expiring contract with FC Porto to be extended.
"That would be a perfectly good striker for Ajax, of course", says Driessen during the De Telegraaf podcast Kick-off when De Jong is mentioned as a possible striker for Ajax. Verweij then picks up on that. "He certainly did have a very serious injury. You need to see how he comes back from it. He’s getting on in years and then you often need longer to become fully fit again. But for FC Twente and Ajax. There are plenty of clubs that could make good use of him", Verweij’s position runs.
Ajax also made an attempt more than 12 years ago for Luuk de Jong during the period when De Jong was already in talks with PSV. Overmars then still thought he could persuade De Jong to choose Ajax. In the Netherlands, the 35-year-old forward played for PSV, FC Twente and De Graafschap. Earlier, the Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola also reported that FC Twente is working on the return of Luuk de Jong.
"What you of course often see in the Netherlands when someone gets injured and he quickly becomes seriously injured and is no longer called upon for the rest of the season, then we extend your contract under certain conditions", says Driessen. The journalist says that this will not be the case at FC Porto regarding De Jong's contract. "So that is not the case; probably because Luuk de Jong still really wants to return. That was also one of the reasons why he ultimately chose PSV again and didn't want to stay abroad any longer."
Comments3
I'm not fully sold on the idea that the next step is purely tactical. The squad quality matters too, and if we are relying on perfect positioning every match, that's a big ask in the bigger games.
Really liked the focus on how they want the fullbacks to jump forward without leaving space behind. When PSV do that balance well, the whole attack looks cleaner and more confident.
If PSV keep that midfield more compact like the article suggests, it could finally unlock those quick switches to the wings. I just hope the game plan matches the intensity, because we all know one sloppy stretch and it turns into chaos.