Scouts Watch Ajax Wonderkid Veltman

The January transfer window may have slammed shut but clubs will still be working hard behind the scenes at identifying targets for the summer, so we’ll bring you all the latest news, gossip and rumours. Today, interest in mounting in Joel Veltman.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all sent scouts to watch highly-rated Ajax defender Joel Veltman in action last week but have been warned the player is not for sale, according to the Mirror.

Veltman has come through the much-famed Ajax youth academy having joined the club as a 10-year-old and broke into the first team set up last season.

It appears he’s caught the eye of several top clubs here in England with the Mirror claiming that Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old centre-back against Groningen last Thursday where he impressed during a 2-1 win.

The newspaper suggests that he could be sold in the summer if the price is right. However, Ajax director, and former Arsenal winger, Marc Overmars insists it’s too early for Veltman to make a big-money move and he will do everything possible to keep the youngster at the club to continue his development.

 “I will fight to keep Veltman. We don’t want him to go. He is a massive talent and players have been leaving this club too early in their careers.

“Veltman is a sensation. We never expected him to make such an amazing breakthrough at top level. But that’s down to the work of Jaap Stam.

“Joel gets defensive lessons from the biggest of all defenders. Jaap has been working on him really hard with individual coaching at Ajax.’’

“I love doing deals and I love a good transfer. But they can’t have this boy Veltman. I will barricade the doors and I will go and stand behind the door myself to stop them from taking him. He means too much to us.” Overmars is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

Ajax have an excellent reputation for development quality players down the years but more often than not, they end up cashing in and selling their star assets to the more powerful clubs in Europe.

It seems that Overmars isn’t planning on selling Veltman any time soon and with the defender still having three years remaining on his £10,000-a-week contract, the Dutch giants are under no immediate pressure to sell.

However, Ajax are aware he could earn substantially more in the Premier League so the newspaper suggests they have offered him a new deal that includes a huge pay rise to try and prevent his head from being turned.

Veltman is yet to put pen to paper on the deal which has led to speculation he could be sold and it remains to be seen whether he’ll commit his future to Ajax or assess his options in the summer.

It will certainly be a tempting move for the player if the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, United or City come calling and all four clubs are understood to be on the look-out for defensive reinforcements.

Veltman is a hot prospect for the future and the Mirror state that Holland boss Louis van Gaal is keen to include him in his squad for this summers World Cup, so the quartet may want to try and get a deal tied up as early as possible as his price is likely to sky-rocket if he impressive in Brazil.

READ MORE –>Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news | Man Utd transfer news | Man City transfer news

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