Sutalo on His Way Out of Ajax: Three Offers Arrive
The Dutch giants are ready to absorb a financial loss on the Croatian international, and a source close to the player says: 'He's leaving.'
The Dutch giants are ready to absorb a financial loss on the Croatian international, and a source close to the player says: 'He's leaving.'
Croatian international defender Josip Sutalo is edging closer to an Ajax exit. According to Dutch media reports, the Amsterdam club is not opposed to his sale, and interest has materialized into three official offers that have landed at the former Eredivisie champions' doorstep.
As reported by Tportal, Ajax has set a price of around 15 million euros for their center-back, with potential add-ons. This makes it clear the club will accept a significant financial loss, given that they paid Dinamo a fixed fee of 20.5 million euros for him in August 2023. The total transfer fee, including bonuses, could have reached 23.5 million euros.
So far, the only known interested club is Portugal's Benfica, who are actively seeking reinforcements in defense. The identities of the other two clubs have not been officially disclosed, but sources suggest at least one of them is from the English Premier League. No agreement has been finalized with any of the bidders yet.
Sutalo is under contract with Ajax until June 30, 2028. If the club sells him for the aforementioned 15 million euros, the loss on the fixed fee would be at least 5.5 million euros.
In Sutalo's inner circle, there seems to be almost no doubt left about the outcome of this transfer saga. "He's leaving," a source close to the Croatian defender told Tportal, briefly and clearly commenting on his future at the Amsterdam club.
His departure would fit into Ajax's plans to rebuild their defensive line. One of the motives for the sale is also Sutalo's high salary, and freeing up that financial burden would create additional room for maneuver to bring in a new center-back.
Sutalo hasn't started the new season with the rest of the squad. After returning from the World Cup, he's been struggling with physical issues that have left him not fully fit, causing him to miss Ajax's first matches of the 2026/27 season.
During his time in the Netherlands, where he's surpassed the 100-appearance mark for the club, he's had his ups and downs. He's been particularly criticized for difficulties in defending the large space behind the last line, a key aspect of Ajax's highly offensive style of play. For the Croatian national team, in a different tactical environment, he has generally looked far more assured.
