Ajax will start this afternoon at 12.15 pm against FC Utrecht in the same starting line-up as last week against Sparta Rotterdam (0-1). That means that Antony is missing again and Steven Berghuis starts the match as right winger.
The Brazilian has been involved in a top transfer to Manchester United for some time. Erik ten Hag’s club offered eighty million euros a week and a half ago, but Ajax declined that offer. Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder does not want to lose the wing striker, but the expectation is that Manchester will try everything to get the transfer done. The buyout price may go towards a hundred million euros.
Wijndal absent
Owen Wijndal is also missing. The former AZ captain started last week on the bench, but is not part of the selection due to an injury. Francisco Conceição, on the other hand, returns to the selection and is on the bench.
If Ajax wins this afternoon in Nieuw-Galgenwaard, the team from Amsterdam will take over the top position in the Eredivisie from Feyenoord, which last night defeated FC Emmen 4-0. FC Utrecht, trained this season by Henk Fraser, did not yet win in the Eredivisie. Jens Toornstra, who came over from Feyenoord, starts in the base, just like former Ajax player Nick Viergever.
Ajax setup: Pasveer, Rensch, Timber, Bassey, Blind; Alvarez, Taylor, Tadi; Berghuis, Brobbey and Bergwijn.