Dusan Tadic is not returning to Ajax and will continue his career at NEC. According to Algemeen Dagblad, the Amsterdam club made one final attempt to bring the Serb back but could not persuade him to return to the Johan Cruyff ArenA.
The 37-year-old forward has signed a two-year contract in Nijmegen, potentially making it the most high-profile transfer in NEC's history. The club had already brought back names such as Lasse Schöne, Jasper Cillessen, Bram Nuytinck and Edgar Barreto to De Goffert, but Tadic's arrival is seen as an even bigger coup.
NEC investor Marcel Boekhoorn played a key role in the negotiations. Alongside head coach Dick Schreuder and assistant coach Haris Medunjanin, he flew to Belgrade to convince Tadic in person after the two parties had already been in contact for weeks.
More than anything, Schreuder proved decisive. He has had a strong relationship with Tadic for years, dating back to the period when Alfred Schreuder was working as an assistant coach at FC Twente. Since then, the pair have always stayed in touch.
Tadic had already spoken publicly about that admiration. After an Ajax match against PEC Zwolle in April 2022, he praised Schreuder's side for the way they played. "I have to give a big compliment to Zwolle and their coach. They play with courage. That was difficult for us," the Serb said at the time to the camera of ESPN.
In Belgrade, Schreuder and Medunjanin laid out their plans to Tadic. It made such an impression that the veteran decided to turn down offers from foreign clubs, where he could have earned considerably more.
Ajax still could not change his mind. According to AD, the Amsterdam club saw the experienced forward primarily as an important figure in the dressing room, while Tadic still sees himself as a player who can offer great value on the pitch. That difference in vision proved insurmountable.
By choosing NEC, Tadic is already looking towards the next step in his career. The forward wants to become a coach after he stops playing and in Nijmegen he will also get the chance to develop further in that area.