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The 35-time Dutch champions, Ajax Amsterdam, has been one of the biggest clubs on the continent over the past several decades. The club won the prestigious European Cup, now known as the Champions League, four times in their history. This includes three consecutive Champions League titles between 1970 and 1973.
A great visionary of the footballing world, Johan Cruyff was the foremost figure in Ajax’s legendary squad in the 1970s. His ideas and vision would play a massive role in the club’s rich history and culture, as they have developed some of European football’s finest talents over the years.
Today, we rank the five most expensive sales made by Ajax Amsterdam.
#5 Donny van de Beek | €39 million (Manchester United)
The Dutch playmaker played an indispensable role in Ajax’s dream run to the Champions League semi-finals in the 2018-19 campaign.
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Donny van de Beek notched up five goal contributions (three goals, two assists) from 12 appearances in the campaign and was one of the hottest properties in the footballing world at the time. European powerhouses like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG were extremely keen on the youngster’s signature, but Van de Beek chose to continue with his boyhood club for another year.
The summer of 2020 marked one of the most expensive departures in Ajax’s history, as the young Dutchman made the move to Old Trafford on a €39 million deal.
Donny van de Beek remains one of the most exciting talents on the continent but has not been afforded a consistent run of games to showcase his ability. The 24-year old has made 36 appearances for the Red Devils, 21 of which have come as a substitute.
#4 Hakim Ziyech | €40 million (Chelsea)
Along with Donny van de Beek, Hakim Ziyech embarked on his English adventure in the 2020 summer transfer window.
Ziyech’s €40 million move to Stamford Bridge makes him the second-most expensive Moroccan transfer in history, after Achraf Hakimi. Ziyech played a pivotal role in Ajax’s 2018-19 Champions League campaign, scoring a goal in both legs against Real Madrid in the Round of 16. The Moroccan also provided the assist for Van de Beek’s equalizer in the second leg against Juventus, establishing his big-match pedigree.
In 165 appearances across all competitions for Ajax, the 28-year old bagged 49 goals and 81 assists. Ziyech has taken some time to acclimatize to his new environment but has displayed bits and pieces of his immense talent.
Chelsea’s new recruit has registered six goals and four assists from 39 appearances for the Blues.
#3 Davinson Sanchez | €42 million (Tottenham Hotspur)
Another one of Ajax’s Premier League exports is the €42 million transfer of Colombian center-half, Davinson Sanchez, to Spurs.
Sanchez left for Tottenham in the 2017 summer transfer window and has been a permanent fixture in Tottenham’s defense over the past few seasons. The €42 million paid for the Colombian was a then-club record fee for the north London outfit and was viewed as a future leader of the Spurs defense.
While Sanchez may not have lived up to the lofty expectations, he has racked up 149 appearances for the club, containing some promising spells in-between.
While the 25-year old’s talent is apparent, the Spurs faithful will hope for more consistent performances from the centre-back in the upcoming season.
#2 Matthijs de Ligt | €85.5 million (Juventus)
Matthijs de Ligt became the most expensive teenage defender when he moved to Allianz Stadium on a whopping €85.5 million transfer deal.
The then-world record fee for a defender saw the Ajax captain depart his boyhood club after a decade-long stay at the Johan Cruyff ArenA. De Ligt scored the winner against Juventus in the second leg of the 2018-19 CL quarter-finals, making him the youngest Dutch player to score in the CL knockout stages since Nordin Wooter 23 years prior. He also became the youngest player to start in a European final when he took the field for Ajax in the 2017 Europa League final against Manchester United.
Since making his debut with Ajax's first-team in 2016, De Ligt has emerged as one of the most promising defenders in world football. His understanding of the game is well beyond his age and possesses all the required skillsets of an elite centre-half.
The now-21 year Dutchman is yet to do full justice to his enormous price tag after a string of poor performances during his relatively short stay in Italy. However, De Ligt will only get better and learn a lot from this challenging phase.
#1 Frenkie de Jong | €86 million (Barcelona)
Much like De Ligt, Frenkie de Jong departed Ajax in the 2019 summer transfer window, for a club-record €86 million transfer fee.
The Dutch midfielder’s transfer was officially announced just two weeks prior to De Ligt’s move to Juventus, as De Jong pipped his former captain to become Ajax’s most expensive sale in history by just half a million. Along with de Ligt, de Jong was one of the most influential figures in Ajax’s magical run to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-finals.
The young Dutchman was the engine room of Ajax’s midfield and had the ability to dictate play in the middle of the park. De Jong showcased his talent against some of Europe’s elite midfielders, including Real Madrid’s multi-time Champions League-winning trio of Kroos, Modric and Casemiro in the Champions League Round of 16 stage.
Like his compatriots, Frenkie de Jong has taken some time to settle into new surroundings and new styles of play. However, he has now emerged as a regular for the Blaugrana with 51 appearances under his belt in the 2020-21 season, providing a return of seven goals and nine assists.
