Croatia international Josip Sutalo admits that Premier League giants Arsenal ‘showed an interest’ in signing him before the defender sealed a £20 million move to Eredivisie challengers Ajax this summer.
It speaks volumes about how highly regarded Josip Sutalo is at his new Amsterdam home that, with Steven Bergwijn absent for Sunday’s trip to Fortuna Sittard, Ajax boss Maurice Steijn had no qualms about handing his new centre-half the captain’s armband on his league debut.
“I just thought ‘wow’!” Sutalo, who was linked with Arsenal, Napoli, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United before joining Ajax, tells De Telegraaf.
“I felt honored and knew immediately that I wanted to come to Amsterdam. I reached an agreement with Ajax very quickly about a contract until the summer of 2028.”
Arsenal sent scouts to watch Sutalo late last season (Evening Standard). The former Dinamo Zagreb ace admits that he was aware of ‘interest’ from the Gunners too, though their admiration did not turn into anything more concrete when Mikel Arteta’s side opted to go all in for Jurrien Timber instead.
Ironically enough, Sutalo now takes Timber’s place at the Johan Cryuff Arena.
Arsenal looked at Josip Sutalo before Ajax move
“(I moved to the Netherlands) because Ajax was the most decisive of all. Arsenal and Napoli showed interest, but did not come up with a concrete proposal. Ajax did, so my choice was quickly made in that regard,” Sutalo adds.
Arsenal will be without their own big-money centre-half for the next few months; Timber undergoing surgery on his Anterior Cruciate Ligament just 45 minutes or so into his Premier League bow against Sheffield United.
Ajax’s former Arsenal director Sven Mislintat, meanwhile, is confident that Sutalo has the poise and the composure to ensure that Timber’s absence is not felt quite so keenly in the Dutch capital.
“A great player for Ajax,” Mislintat beams. “A Premier League club also wanted him, but Josip was clear; he wanted to go to Ajax.
“He’s never uncomfortable on the ball. He’s always calm. Definitely a complete centre-back.
“He can defend. He is fast, two-footed, can build up play and can play at both the left and the right. If you look at the whole package, if he is not an Ajax player, who is?”
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