Dutch heavyweights Ajax have slapped a £26-million price tag on Davy Klaassen, effectively laying down the gauntlet on Premier League side Everton, who are rumoured to be interested in making a move for the highly-rated playmaker.
The 24-year-old Klaassen has been one of Ajax’s top players ever since his debut with the club seven years ago. Having made it through the club’s world-renowned academy, Klaassen made his starting debut for the Amsterdam-based side in 2011, playing the full ninety in the club’s 1-0 win against Waalwijk in the Eredivisie.
Since then, he has cemented his role in the Ajax first team through his string of stellar performances. Just last season, he has managed to score 20 goals and assist 12 more in a span of 50 goals for Ajax, his side barely missing out on the league title, which was eventually won by rivals Feyenoord on the last day of the season.
Regardless, Klaassen remains a highly-valued star, having already won everything there is to win in Holland – he already has three Eredivisie titles to his name.
Now it appears a new challenge has made itself available to the Dutch international. According to reports in England, Premier League side Everton are thought to be highly keen in snapping up the agile playmaker, with Toffees boss Ronald Koeman a big fan.
Sources from the club have revealed that Koeman is using his Dutch connections to reel in Klaassen and bring him to England before the next season kicks off but it appears Ajax are not ready to play ball.
According to Dutch daily De Telegraaf, Ajax have upped their asking price for Klaassen to €30-million Euros, or £26.5-million, in an effort to dissuade Everton from launching a bid for the player.
With the Premier League TV deal, however, it appears unlikely Everton will be pushed out of the negotiating table by the demand. Neither will Klaassen, who stands to greatly benefit from the move. True enough, the Toffees are set to offer Klaassen wages of nearing €100k-a-week, roughly five times of what he is currently paid with at Ajax.
Will Klaassen be tempted by the tantalising offer? Will Everton pull the trigger on Ajax’s asking price? The answers to these questions, of course, remains to be seen.