Ajax Signing Marcos Leonardo Faces Heavy Scrutiny After Slow Start in Eredivisie
Three months after his transfer from Al-Hilal, the forward has looked uneasy, lacking self-confidence and physical freshness. Across eleven official appearances totaling 357 minutes on the pitch, the former Al-Hilal forward has scored two goals, prompting criticism from club figures like former chief scout Hans van der Zee and former international Ronald de Boer. According to the FCUpdate Data Hub, his Estimated Transfer Value currently stands at several million euros, yet he has completely failed to match that valuation on the field.
Han van der Zee Questions the Striker’s All-Round Qualities
Han van der Zee, who was employed by Ajax from 2007 to 2024, tracked the player extensively during his time at Santos and has voiced strong reservations about his suitability for the club. In an interview reported by NOS, Van der Zee noted that the forward lacks the link-up play required at the highest level. “He doesn’t have much impact yet, I believe, right?” the scout remarked, adding that his pre-transfer reports on the player were far from positive. He characterized the player as possessing only normal speed, low height, limited physical strength, and weak ability with the ball. Van der Zee pointed out that during his subsequent stint at Benfica—before he moved to Al-Hilal for a substantial fee following a move from Santos—he managed seven goals in fourteen appearances under then-coach Roger Schmidt despite starting only three matches.
Ronald de Boer Draws Comparisons to Historic Flop Iván Gabrich
De Boer compared the current situation to the 1996 signing of Argentine forward Iván Gabrich, who arrived for five million guilders and ultimately became one of the club’s most notable transfer disappointments. The analyst noted that the player had missed five hundred-percent chances that were all tap-ins, leading him to state that luck could no longer be blamed and prompting him to declare that he has serious misgivings, especially given that a 20 million euro price tag warrants strict criticism and higher expectations. At the same time, De Boer acknowledged that the player possesses good movement off his defender and can strike accurately with the inside of his right foot, while pointing out how earlier South American arrivals like David Neres and Edson Álvarez eventually overcame difficult starts to leave through the front door at the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Furthermore, De Boer highlighted that Jordi Cruijff and trainer Míchel retain confidence in the forward, and noted his goalscoring record at Al-Hilal, where only certain players scored more often for Saudi clubs over the preceding two seasons.
Squad Status and Upcoming Fixture Context
Despite an expected goals statistic indicating he could already have found the net five times, the player is expected to start on the bench as Ajax prepares to face FC Groningen away in an Eredivisie fixture. Kickoff is scheduled for 16.45 on Sunday, with live coverage broadcast on NPO Radio 1 via NOS Langs de Lijn and a live text commentary hosted on NOS.nl.
