Steven Berghuis has officially been unveiled as an Ajax player, making the move to Amsterdam from arch-rivals Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.
The now-former Feyenoord captain has signed a four-year deal with the Dutch champions that will see him officially tied to his new club until 2025. According to Transfermarkt, Ajax have paid their rivals €5.5 million for his services.
While Ligue 1 club Nice and Serie A club Torino approached the player to try and get him to sign, his priority was always signing for Ajax. The 29-year-old primarily operates as a right-winger and has a wealth of experience in the Dutch league. He previously featured for AZ Alkmaar and came through the Twente academy before joining Watford, and subsequently returning to the Netherlands at Feyenoord.
Here is what the player had to say about the move: “I am 29 years old, and it’s no secret that I wanted to take the next step. It is important to me to further develop myself in the sport.
“When making the choice for my new club, in addition to my development as a football player, I was very much looking for the combination of playing for trophies, playing in the UEFA Champions League and staying in the picture with the national team. At Ajax I think this all coincides.”
Fans are livid at the transfer, with numerous patrons burning his jersey as he prepares for the move from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. He follows notable players Henk Groot, Jon Everse, Win Jansen, Johan Cruyff and Arnold Scholten as one of the few to play on both sides of the Dutch Clasico.