Ajax hope to bring Yves Bissouma to Amsterdam, De Telegraaf reports. According to Mike Verweij, there is strong competition from Europe’s top five leagues, but the club look capable of signing the 30-year-old midfielder for one season with an option for another year. The Algemeen Dagblad adds that negotiations are now at an advanced stage. "Bissouma is well on his way to Ajax," said Johan Inan of AD.
Bissouma is without a club after his contract with Tottenham Hotspur expired this summer. That means Ajax can still move for the 46-cap Mali international despite the transfer window having closed. Bissouma is set to say 'yes' to the Amsterdam club's proposal.
Technical director Jordi Cruijff wants to pull off a coup with his arrival, according to sources around Bissouma. The midfielder brings plenty of experience, having played eight seasons in the Premier League and, before that, spent two years in Ligue 1.
After leaving Real Bamako in Mali at the age of 18, Bissouma joined Lille OSC, where he initially played for the second team. Brighton & Hove Albion then paid almost €17 million for him in 2018 after his breakthrough in France, before Tottenham shelled out almost €30 million four years later.
At Spurs, Bissouma made 111 appearances before his contract expired. The Malian is known for his running power and strength in duels, and he can operate both as a number six and a number eight.
Ajax reshaped their squad significantly this summer with a large number of new signings, including Marcos Leonardo, Caio Henrique, Viktor Tsygankov, Thilo Kehrer and Marc-André ter Stegen. Cruijff previously defended that approach to the NOS: "You do not win any titles for four seasons in a row. If you then do the same thing, it will not get any better. Then you have to look for solutions and try to be creative."
That possible move for Bissouma fits with Ajax's reported desire to compete on three fronts with a deep squad. Cruijff wants to challenge in the VriendenLoterij Eredivisie, the Eurojackpot KNVB Cup and the Conference League.