“Fantastic” – Technical director explains decision to sell player to Crystal Palace

Ajax technical director Alex Kroes has explained why they sanctioned Borna Sosa’s move to Crystal Palace, describing the move as fantastic for the full-back.

Voetbal Primeur cover comments from the Ajax director today after Sosa’s move to Crystal Palace was confirmed by the London club.

Sosa had been linked with a move to Crystal Palace for weeks, with it explained that Oliver Glasner had been seeking left-back reinforcement after Ben Chilwell returned to Chelsea following his loan spell last season.

He knows Sosa from his time in the Bundesliga and a deal has now been wrapped up with Ajax to make him Crystal Palace’s second arrival this summer, after the signing of Walter Benitez from PSV Eindhoven.

The switch brings an end to a two-year stay at Ajax for Sosa, who arrived at the Dutch club for €8m from VfB Stuttgart in the 2023 summer window. That transfer window has since been seen as a disastrous one for the club, with most of the signings failing to work out.

Sosa is one of them and was sent on loan to Torino last season, but their decision not to buy him permanently lead to him seeking other exits this summer and eventually ending up at Crystal Palace according to Kroes.

“After Borna’s loan for the past six months, there was no future for him in Amsterdam again,” Kroes told the club’s official channels.

“That he can now continue his career at the highest level in England is, of course, fantastic. We wish him all the best and hope for his success there.”