Odegaard could make a more permanent move to Dutch football this summer
Martin Odegaard could be set to join Ajax from Real Madrid at the end of the season.
Still only 20, the Norwegian has failed to make an impression at the Bernabeu since his high-profile signing for Real in January 2015.
Unable to secure regular playing time in Spain, he’s spent the last two seasons on loan in the Netherlands – first with Heerenveen and currently with Vitesse Arnhem.
His impressive form at Vitesse this term has caught the eye of Ajax, who are expected to lose many of their current stars in the summer after their impressive showing in the Champions League.
A deal for Frenkie De Jong to join for Barcelona has already been agreed, with Matthijs De Ligt also expected to leave too. Hakim Ziyech, David Neres and Nicolas Tagliafico are also reportedly being eyed by some of the continent’s wealthiest clubs.
Marc Overmars, the Amsterdam club’s sporting director, is currently preparing for these departures. A deal for Standard Liege’s Romanian midfielder Razvan Marin has already been tied up, with Heerenveen defender Kik Pierie also set to arrive at the end of the current campaign.
Odegaard is believed to be next on Ajax’s list, with the Telegraaf reporting he may be obtainable for a fee of less than €20m.
The report claims his performance against Ajax for Vitesse on Tuesday is said to have convinced the club’s hierarchy he’s a ‘real Ajax player’.
He’s also received an endorsement from Thulani Serero, his Vitesse teammate and a former Ajax player.
“He can handle it,” she said. “If I were Ajax, I would try to buy him, because Martin is a great football player.”
One potential stumbling block for such a move could be the player’s wages. In a bid to beat other interested clubs, Real are thought to have offered him a large pay packet when they signed him. It’s likely Odegaard will have to take a pay cut if he does agree to move to the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
