Hans Kraay Jr.’s prediction that Ajax’s aggressive summer transfer strategy would push PSV into action is looking increasingly accurate after the Eindhoven club assembled a strong squad of its own.

The summer transfer window has been closed for several weeks, but Hans Kraay Jr.’s prediction is now attracting fresh attention.

The ESPN journalist and analyst argued more than a month ago that Ajax’s aggressive recruitment under technical director Jordi Cruijff had effectively put PSV on a “warpath”.

At the time, Kraay suggested the Eindhoven club had taken notice of everything happening in Amsterdam and would not allow Ajax to strengthen without responding.

Ajax spent much of the summer strengthening both domestically and internationally, with Cruijff playing a central role in reshaping the squad. That activity was followed by an equally ambitious window in Eindhoven, where Earnest Stewart, Marcel Brands and Peter Bosz oversaw a significant rebuild.

Kraay made his prediction in the presence of Willem van Hanegem, as relayed by PSV Inside.

“They thought that Jordi Cruijff is buying everything, though. We’re not going to let it happen that Ajax become champions, and they’re now on a bit of a warpath as well.”

Looking back now, Kraay’s assessment has a degree of relevance simply because PSV went on to enjoy an extremely busy and successful summer.

The champions strengthened several areas of the squad, adding players such as Sven Mijnans, Kodai Sano, Filip Kostić and Lutsharel Geertruida, while also bringing in Sam Lammers, Sami Ouaissa and Ayoni Santos.

The recruitment was not limited to immediate first-team options. PSV also invested in younger players, including Mikkel Bro Hansen, as the club looked to maintain depth across a season that includes both the Eredivisie and Champions League football.

That activity has already begun to show on the pitch.

PSV followed their impressive 3-1 victory over Ajax in Amsterdam by beating Sparta Rotterdam 4-1 at the Philips Stadion. The latter result also saw Sven Mijnans score a hat-trick, while Kodai Sano registered his first PSV goal.

Ajax’s comfortable victory over Fortuna Sittard, meanwhile, has ensured that the Amsterdam club remains firmly involved in the title race. The early meetings between the two sides therefore suggest that the battle at the top could be considerably more competitive than last season.

The transfer activity has also added another dimension to the rivalry.

The 3-1 victory for PSV in Amsterdam sparked intense discussion surrounding Ruben van Bommel’s challenge on Aaron Bouwman. The incident dominated much of the post-match conversation, although the wider footballing contest had already underlined the strength of the two squads.

In the days that followed, Wim Kieft and René van der Gijp criticised the extent of the reaction to the incident, while Van Bommel went on to deliver another strong performance against Sparta.

The forward’s willingness to contribute defensively has become an increasingly visible part of PSV’s approach, particularly in Bosz’s demanding system.

However, the more interesting question concerns what happened before the season even began.

Did Ajax’s transfer activity genuinely push PSV to strengthen more aggressively?

There is no direct confirmation from Stewart, Brands or Bosz that Ajax influenced their recruitment strategy. Yet the timing and scale of PSV’s business have given Kraay’s earlier remarks renewed relevance.

Ajax wanted to close the gap. PSV responded by strengthening a squad that had already won the Eredivisie.

With the transfer window now shut, the answer will ultimately be measured on the pitch. And with both clubs already showing signs of competing for the title, Kraay’s “warpath” prediction has certainly gained another layer of intrigue.