Saturday, 6th September, 2014
Ajax director Edwin van der Sar has sprung to the defence of director of football Marc Overmars, who has come in for criticism over selling Daley Blind to Manchester United so late in the transfer window.
Blind departed to Manchester United just days before the transfer window closed and while Ajax pocketed €17.5m from selling the 24-year-old, they were unable to secure a replacement seen as worthy of succeeding the star.
That has led to criticism hurtling Overmars' way, but Van der Sar feels Blind could not have been stopped from joining Manchester United and instead the director of football should be praised for extending the player's contract in the first place so a fee could be banked.
"Daley Blind had an expiring contract with Ajax 15 months ago, so he could have left on a free transfer", Van der Sar, who acts as marketing director but stated he chipped into decisions with Overmars, told De Telegraaf.
"The club re-signed him and now he's left for a considerable amount to join one of the biggest clubs in the world."
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Van der Sar also defended the club's policy of selling talents, explaining "because that is how it works. Boys from the system are taken as early as possible into the first team to let them have a lovely few years with Ajax's senior team.
"Who develops then gets the choice to go to a top club abroad.
"That moment arrived for Daley. He, just like his father, won trophies here and could play at such a big club.
"If Manchester United meet all the appropriate conditions then we would not hold back the player."
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