Ajax honcho opens up on failed January bid for Tottenham attacker

Ajax DOF Marc Overmars explains why they failed to land Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn

Talking to the club’s official website (h/t football.london), Ajax Amsterdam’s director of football Marc Overmars admitted that a move for Tottenham Hotspur star Steven Bergwijn was not realistic in the January transfer window.

The Spurs man only moved to England in 2020 from PSV Eindhoven, but the winger has already been linked to a move back to his native country, with Ajax said to be interested in securing his services.

Bergwijn` has not yet nailed down a regular first XI spot in Antonio Conte‘s Spurs side. While he has shown off his scintillating best, it has not come out consistently enough for Conte to put his faith in him.

Bergwijn began his Spurs career on a high note, scoring a goal on debut to down Premier League giants Manchester City at home, putting in a Man of the Match display in front of a raucous Spurs crowd. However, he has failed to hit the same heights since then, resulting in limited appearances for the club.

Holland return scuppered

Although the winger is highly talented and still relatively young at 24, he has not claimed a permanent spot in the Spurs lineup, despite playing under different managers. Now playing under Conte, Bergwijn has still not convinced the Italian boss to play him ahead of regulars Lucas Moura and Heung-min Son.

Ajax were linked with a move for the Dutchman throughout January, but a move to the Dutch giants in the winter transfer window failed to come to fruition. Overmars gave an explanation for the same, saying that the club decided against splashing the cash for the player in a COVID hit window.

“It is no secret that we have been busy getting Bergwijn to Ajax, for now, and for the future. But you also have to be realistic. Every club has had two tough years. In these uncertain times, we as the board thought it was not good to deploy the entire financial package.”

With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar looming over us, Bergwijn could be looking for opportunities that see him gain regular first-team minutes. Doing so will aid his cause to be included in the Oranje squad for the showpiece event.

A move to his native country would have made sense for the player, as he could have impressed the bosses in the national team set-up at close quarters. Unfortunately, Ajax opted against a move for the Dutchman, and he remains at N17 until the end of the season.

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Although not reaching the same heights as he did for Spurs on his debut, the player turned into an instant hero once again in the 3-2 win against Leicester City last month, scoring twice in as many minutes at the death to clinch all three points for his side. This saw the player handed a start against Chelsea in the next league game.

Although it remains to be seen whether Conte will persist with Bergwijn after his Leicester City heroics in the next games, the player has given the Italian manager something to think about, with his recent efforts on the pitch. A potential move to Ajax may not have been necessary after all.