It appears that Ajax is going to play some hardball with Liverpool.
Following Monday’s reports that LFC had moved closer to securing the transfer of Ajax and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, decision makers have asserted that the could be pricier than anticipated.
“We are resolute and do not want to lose Suarez but if a ‘super club’ offers an absurd amount, we would let him go,” manager Frank De Boer, according to ESPN.co.uk. “As it stands at the moment, he will stay with us for the remainder of the season.”
That amount, it is rumored, could be in the range of the £28.5 million given to Wolfsburg by Manchester City for Edin Dzeko.
Coincidentally, former Ajax forward Ryan Babel has thrust himself into the conversation, volunteering to leave Anfield for Amsterdam on a loan as part of the transfer.
“The transfer of Suárez to Liverpool opens the door for me to go to Ajax,” Babel told De Telegraaf. “If Liverpool and Ajax — whether in combination with Luis — can reach an agreement over me I will surely come to the club. For the chance to play I am willing to settle for far less pay. For a player of my age it is important to be playing week in week out.”
De Boer seemed open to that notion as well, saying, “the advantage is that he knows the Ajax system well.”
The loan would be sensible for Liverpool as well, allowing an unsettled, young player to regain confidence while also making an expensive — but vital — transfer slightly cheaper. It is unclear, however, how much Babel’s temporary return would lessen the fee.
Ajax’s sudden shift to hardball has to be considered a positive sign as well, as it means that the team is actively posturing for the sale. In fact, Tottenham — formerly in on Suarez — is now shifting focus to Luis Fabiano. Still, there is a definite rift between what Liverpool is believed to currently be offering and Dzeko money, meaning that at least one side will have to make significant concessions.
See some of Suarez’s best work below.
