Ajax brings in a determined defender with Ahmetcan Kaplan, Murat Yildirim judges in conversation with Ajax Showtime. The former Talent of the Future – today player and owner of Corum FK – is active in Turkey himself and has confidence in the talent of the mandekker.
The Amsterdam club reportedly pays 9.6 million euros for the defender, who comes from Trabzonspor. Pretty soon after the deal was concluded, Kaplan flew back to Turkey to get the paperwork in order, after which he can really get started as an Ajax player. Perr Schuurs left for Torino and so Kaplan can take his place immediately.
Yildirim already tells the Ajax fans a bit more about the center defender. ‘He is six feet tall and really a young tiger. He attracted attention last season with his superiority in the clashes against Galatasaray, in which he fought duels with Ryan Babel. He has a very high success rate in one-on-one matches. He can also play both left and right central defenders.’
Kaplan has not only mastered pure defense, he can also be of added value on the ball. ‘He looks comfortable in the build-up. He plays with a lot of confidence and that is reflected in his passing. Furthermore, he is physically strong and also strong in the air. In that way, he was one of Trabzonspor’s key players in both defensive and offensive set pieces.”
Kaplan wants to develop
Finally, Yildirim emphasizes that Kaplan is only nineteen years old. He is still far from his peak. It’s a guess how far he can reach, but his talent is undeniable. ‘He shows that he is open to development. He has to improve his performance by playing matches. By signing him Ajax has made a very correct investment for the future.’
Jesse ter Haar (Twitter: @jesseterhaar | E-mail: [email protected])
Order the new Ajax away kit now in the Ajaxshop!
The bookmaker expects that Ajax will also score a lot against Sparta Rotterdam. Check the odds here!
If you play responsibly, you keep it fun. What does gambling cost you? Stop on time, 18+.
