According to Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic, Ajax were ‘priced out of a potential deal’ by Tottenham for Steven Bergwijn as Antonio Conte considers him ‘an important member of his squad’.
The Lowdown: Bergwijn’s transfer saga
The Dutch winger was at the centre of a fluctuating transfer saga during the January window. One moment he was seemingly off from N17, the next Conte wanted him to stay.
On 9 January, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed that Tottenham had ‘decided to sell’ the 24-year-old amid interest from a number of clubs.
Two days later, the Evening Standard reported that Spurs had rejected an opening £15m bid from Ajax. It was said that Daniel Levy was holding out on the deal as he was looking to recoup as much of the £27m that they paid for the player in 2020 as they could.
However, Bergwijn seemingly threw his Spurs future into the air as he fired in two stoppage-time goals in 80 seconds to snatch Conte’s side three points in a thrilling 3-2 win over Leicester City two weeks ago.
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The Latest: Ajax ‘priced out’ of Bergwijn deal
According to Eccleshare on Twitter, the Dutch champions were priced out of a possible deal for Bergwijn, a player who Conte feels is an integral member of the Tottenham squad.
He outlined: “It’s been a busy day for #THFC departures, but Steven Bergwijn is staying put. Ajax priced out of a potential deal for someone Antonio Conte considers an important member of his squad.”
Eccleshare also revealed for The Athletic that Spurs were not actively looking to offload the attacker, but Ajax’s interest had tested their resolve. This ultimately ended as the Dutch giants could not afford to meet Tottenham’s asking price.
The Verdict: Good choice
Bergwijn has not enjoyed an easy period since he arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but in recent weeks, it seems that the Netherlands international’s fortunes may have changed.
With the 24-year-old having secured Spurs that dramatic win against Leicester and with Alasdair Gold hailing him as a ‘rare bright spot’ in the recent defeat at Chelsea, this begged the question as to whether Conte and Fabio Paratici were silly to consider allowing the player to leave.
Considering the failed pursuit for now-Barcelona winger Adama Traore, Tottenham have made the right call to keep hold of the Dutchman, whose ‘quality’ has been hailed by Conte himself.
In other news: Tottenham: Late Ousmane Dembele attempt fails