A weekly report by the CIES Football Observatory has highlighted Ajax as the top stepping-stone club in European football. The study, which looks at the clubs current big-5 leagues players departed from to reach the five major European leagues, paints an interesting picture.
Ajax remains top of the list, which should come as little surprise. The club have garnered a reputation for developing young players, with several of the team that reached the Champions League semi-finals last season earning interest from Europe’s elite.
Both Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs De Ligt left the club during last summer for Barcelona and Juventus respectively, with more departures expected during the next transfer window.
One player that has already managed to secure a departure from the Amsterdam Arena is Hakim Ziyech. The Moroccan playmaker agreed to a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge at the start of this year and will complete his move when the window reopens.
Ajax have helped 22 players earn a move to a top 5 European league, with Benfica, RB Salzburg, Real Madrid, and Sporting. Speaking on his move to Chelsea, Ziyech said: “I am delighted and proud to have signed for such a huge club as Chelsea. I am looking forward to next season and hope we can achieve great things together.”
The 27-year-old is already familiar to Chelsea boss Frank Lampard after his side met Ajax in the Champions League group stages earlier this season. His versatility and creativity suitably impressed Lampard, and now he will compete for a starting place at Stamford Bridge next season.
One of his teammates next season, Mason Mount, was already well aware of what Ziyech could do after the pair faced off in the Eredivisie. Mount spent time on-loan at Vitesse Arnhem, and he believes the pair could combine well together. “So two years ago I was in Holland on loan, so I knew a bit about him then, and obviously how good of a player he is,” Mount said during a Combat Corona FIFA tournament .
“So obviously it’s another amazing, world-class player joining the club. So yeah buzzing to work with him, train with him and hopefully play with him.”