Ajax director Sven Mislintat insists the Eredivisie giants fought off ‘a Premier League club’ for Josip Sutalo amid claims that Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United wanted the Croatia international.
Completing his £18 million move to the Johan Cruyff Arena over the weekend, Josip Sutalo finally put an end to a saga which has rumbled on throughout the summer. Will he, or won’t he? Much to the disappointment of Dinamo Zagreb, it turns out he will; the Croatian centre-half following Josko Gvardiol out of the Stadion Maksimir as he puts pen to paper on a long-term deal at Ajax.
Mislintat is delighted to get his mitts on one of Europe’s next best centre-halves, amid reports suggesting that Sutalo was also a target for the director’s old employers. Arsenal, according to The Standard, had watched Sutalo closely.
Croatian publication Germanijak, meanwhile, insist that offers arrived from both West Ham and Nottingham Forest.
But, by Sutalo’s own admission, the classy 23-year-old had an easy decision to make; ‘one of the best clubs in Europe’ making their interest known.
Arsenal, West Ham and Nottingham Forest like Josip Sutalo
“A great player for Ajax,” Mislintat beams. “A Premier League club also wanted him, but Josip was clear; he wanted to go to Ajax.”
Sutalo’s poise in possession should help him adapt to life at a club who tend to dominate the ball week-in, week-out. In an intriguing twist of fate, the reported Arsenal target for all intents and purposes replaces a player who left Ajax for the Emirates earlier in the summer, stepping into Jurrien Timber’s shoes.
Ajax also sold Calvin Bassey to Fulham.
“He’s never uncomfortable on the ball. He’s always calm,” Mislintat adds. “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?”
Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 on Monday even without the injured Timber.
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