Ajax
Liverpool duo Joel Matip and Thiago unlikely to feature against Ajax
Liverpool take on Ajax in the Champions League tomorrow and Virgil van Dijk won’t be the only key player they will be missing against the Dutch outfit. According to James Pearce from The Athletic, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara were missed today’s training at Melwood and they are unlikely to travel to Amsterdam with the rest of the squad. No Matip or Thiago in training at Melwood today. Fabinho set to start at CB alongside Gomez v Ajax.Centre-backs Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams set to travel as part of the squad. #LFC — James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) October 20, 2020 Thiago and Joel Matip both missed #LFC training and are unlikely to travel for the Ajax game. Club are being cautious given the hectic schedule. — Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) October 20, 2020 Thiago picked up a minor inju...
Ajax vs Liverpool: Team News, Predicted line-ups from Champions League
Ajax will play host to Liverpool in the opening Champions League group fixture at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday. The Dutch giants find themselves second in the Eredivise table, one point behind PSV Eindhoven after five games. They are heading into this game on the back of a convincing 5-1 victory against Heerenveen at the weekend in the Dutch league. Dusan Tadic scored twice, while the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Davy Klaassen, and Antony added their names on the scoresheet and sealed all three points for Erik ten Hag’s side. Liverpool, on the other hand, are heading into this match on the back of a 2-2 draw against derby rivals Everton. In arguably one of the most intense feisty encounters in recent years, Everton twice came from behind to earn a point. Sadio Mane and Mohamed Sala...
Journalist: Celtic looking to sign in-demand 21 y/o Ajax winger
According to Goal journalist, Ronan Murphy, Celtic are looking to sign Noa Lang in the summer transfer window. The Bhoys have already signed two players, and Neil Lennon is still looking to add more bodies to the Celtic squad. Murphy claims that Celtic have joined the race to sign the highly-rated Ajax winger Lang this summer. Lang made his senior debut for Ajax in 2019 and has made eight appearances for the club, scoring three goals. The 21-year-old joined FC Twente on loan in 2020, where he made seven appearances. German club Hertha Berlin, and Spanish clubs Villarreal and Real Sociedad are also keen to sign the winger. Villarreal are looking to sign him permanently, with a fee being mooted around €7-8m. The Glasgow giants are only interested in signing him on loan with an option to...
Herve Renard apologies for omitting Hakim Ziyech in African select XI
Getty Images Former Morocco coach Herve Renard has apologised for leaving out the name of Hakim Ziyech in a select XI of the best African players he has managed. The 51-year-old Frenchman has coached four African sides to date – Angola, Zambia, the Ivory Coast and Morocco. He found success leading the Chipolopolo and the Elephants to Africa Cup of Nations success in 2012 and 2015, respectively. He also led the Atlas Lions to their first World Cup outing in 20 years at the 2018 edition in Russia where they finished last in a group containing Spain, Portugal and Iran. Renard’s XI contained Ghana’s Richard Kingson in goal, Medhi Benatia, Kolo Toure, Jonathan Mensah and Achraf Hakimi in defence. In midfield is Yaya Toure and Michael Essien in a double pivot, while it’s an attacking trio of Sia...
Finidi George offers advice to Odion Ighalo amid uncertain Manchester United future
Former Super Eagles and Ajax Amsterdam forward Finidi George has offered some advice to ex Watford striker Odion Ighalo as his United future remains uncertain. Finidi was reacting to comments credited to a former Manchester United captain Gary Neville who believes the club management should not spend a £20m transfer fee for Ighalo at this time. In a chat, the former Ajax winger said Ighalo has a decision to make concerning his future as the entire footballing lifespan is short. “If he wants to be in the limelight, he has to stay with the Premier League but if he is going for the money he should go back to China,” Finidi said. “It all depends on what he wants at this stage of his career, he is thirty now so, he should look at what is before him and make a decision fast. The experienced Nige...
Jesper Gronkjaer: Hakim Ziyech will succeed in Premier League with Chelsea
Jesper Gronkjaer is backing Hakim Ziyech to succeed after his £37 million ($43m) move from Ajax to Chelsea. The Blues completed a deal in late February and the 27-year-old is set to link up with his new team-mates on July 1, with the Eredivisie season cancelled amid the coronavirus outbreak. Ziyech will join a group including Filipe Luis, Bertrand Traore, Mario Melchiot, Winston Bogarde and Gronkjaer himself in making the switch to Stamford Bridge having played at the Amsterdam ArenA. Moving to the Premier League will prove a step up for Ziyech and Gronkjaer believes he is the star player from the Dutch side’s run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018. “Ziyech was the one who has caught my eye over the past two seasons even though he wasn’t produced by Ajax’s academy,” Gronkjaer told...
Duncan Castles: Manchester United want rid of David de Gea
Manchester United are ‘not happy with David de Gea’, according to The Daily Record’s Duncan Castles. Speaking on the Transfer Window Podcast, Castles revealed that the club has made a mistake in tying de Gea to a lucrative long-term contract and would be glad to offload the Spaniard should an offer come along for him. ‘United are not happy with the performance of De Gea post signing that record contract’ Castles claims. ‘They basically put themselves in the position where they had to pay him far, far more money than any other club was prepared to pay him. So they’ve saddled themselves.’ ‘It’s a hugely expensive contract for a player whose performances have declined since he signed that contract.’ ‘My understanding is that there’s a thought within the camp that were someone to offer De Gea ...
Report: Chelsea told to splash the cash – big target will not come cheaply
Chelsea have been told that they will not sign Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana on the cheap this summer. Onana has been a standout performer for Ajax, keeping 74 clean sheets in 178 appearances in all competitions. The 24-year-old has an agreement in place to leave the Dutch giants, sparking talk of moves to some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The Blues have been heavily linked with Onana, with current goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga failing to impress since his big money move to Stamford Bridge. However, Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar has insisted that Onana’s potential suitors can forget about securing a cut-price deal for the goalie. “Last year, we made verbal agreements with Onana, (Nicolas) Tagliafico, (Donny) Van de Beek to stay another season. “We then we look to help each other and find t...
UEFA releases possible dates for Champions League games
UEFA’s plan to complete the Champions League and Europa League continues. The plan says that they will be played throughout the month of August once the leagues are done in July. UEFA have an idea which is to end the season by the end of August. Therefore, the domestic leagues need to be completed by the end of July. The proposal is for the remaining last 16 games to be played in the first week of the month. On 26th and 29th August, Gdansk and Istanbul will host the Europa League and Champions League finals respectively. ‘Marca’ says that they will try and stick to that instead of playing both the finals at the same venue. There are 17 Champions League and 27 Europa League matches left to play. Confirmation of the new calendar depends first on leagues getting back underway and then on the ...
