Ajax’s Search for a Replacement for Jordan Henderson Falls Short

Last summer, Ajax bid farewell to Jordan Henderson, who transferred to Brentford. In his stead, the club did not recruit an experienced replacement for the key ‘six’ position; instead, they brought in James McConnell on loan, who has since returned to Liverpool.

The absence of a new signing to fill Henderson’s role has caused frustration within the scouting department, as they had proposed several viable candidates, yet none were pursued effectively. This oversight has reportedly raised eyebrows among the players, who are concerned about the lack of a successor for Henderson.

In January, Ajax again failed to secure a new ‘six,’ with Youri Regeer currently positioned as the first choice. Kodai Sano had been a target of interest, but Ajax acted too late in their efforts to acquire the Japanese player. NEC was unwilling to part with him at such a late stage, especially after the sale of Kento Shiogai to VfL Wolfsburg for ten million euros alleviated their immediate financial needs. Consequently, Ajax’s bid of around fifteen million euros for Sano was rejected.