Josip Sutalo could leave Ajax before the transfer window closes, and multiple clubs are reportedly interested.
Ajax have already made six signings this summer, and it is expected they will sign more players before the transfer window closes, with a new defensive midfielder one of the club's top priorities.
It is also expected that a few players will leave Ajax this summer. Sean Steur has already left, joining Newcastle United in a deal worth up to €27 million. Kian Fitz-Jim has also left to join Serie A outfit Torino in a deal worth an initial fee of around €3 million. Julian Rijkhoff has also left, joining Spanish club Andorra on a loan deal with an option to buy. Branco van den Boomen's contract was terminated, and Nick Verschuren has joined Sparta Rotterdam on a permanent transfer.
Mika Godts could also leave, with Paris Saint-Germain pushing to sign the Belgian winger. An agreement is in place between Godts and the Parisians on personal terms, but no agreement has been reached with Ajax. PSG's first bid, which was worth €45 million, was rejected, but they are expected to return with an improved offer.
Josip Sutalo, Kasper Dolberg, Ko Itakura and Owen Wijndal could all leave Ajax too, with Jordi Cruijff prepared to sell them should suitable offers arrive.
Three clubs make offers to Sutalo
Sutalo is attracting a lot of interest, and it seems likely he will leave Ajax, should one of the interested clubs be prepared to meet Ajax's financial demands.
According to Sportske Novosti, Sutalo has three offers and intends to leave Ajax this summer, but there is no agreement yet.
Benfica are one of the clubs interested, and they are currently in the market for a new centre-back after selling Antonio Silva to Bournemouth.
There is also at least one Premier League club interested in signing the Croatian centre-back this summer.
Ajax would be prepared to sell Sutalo for €15 million plus bonuses, the report claims.
Do Ajax need to sign a centre-back?
Ajax have many options in central defence. Daley Blind and Aaron Bouwman have started all UEFA Conference League qualifying games so far. Bouwman is a wonderful talent, but is also still young and inexperienced.
Youri Baas is also a brilliant player, while Ajax also have Dies Janse, who enjoyed an excellent loan spell at FC Groningen last season.
Ajax also have Ko Itakura and Ahmetcan Kaplan. Ajax are open to selling Itakura, while Kaplan was strongly linked to NEC Nijmegen earlier in the window, although that move is no longer progressing.
With Blind, Baas, Bouwman and Janse, Ajax have a nice core group of centre-backs. They have a wide range of qualities, and two of them are left-footed and two of them are right-footed.
If Itakura, Kaplan and Sutalo all leave, there could then be an argument to be made that Ajax need a fifth centre-back option, but it should not be a priority given how many other positions Ajax need to bolster.
