Ajax are set to hike up their bid for Spurs forward Steven Bergwijn by offering £18million for the Dutch international this week.
The Eredivisie champions had an opening £15million proposal rejected by the London club on Friday - but director of football Edwin van der Sar will table an improved offer. It would mean Spurs taking an initial £8.5million loss on the £26.5million they paid PSV Eindhoven two years ago.
But Ajax's new offer is set to include a package of small add-ons that would take the deal to £20million. Bergwjin has been urged by Dutch boss Louis van Gaal to move to Ajax to protect his place in Holland’s World Cup squad.
He was outstanding in the 4-1 demolition of Belgium on Friday night. And Van Gaal said: “I want him (Bergwijn) to go to Ajax as soon as possible.
“Tottenham don’t give him enough playing minutes and that is unbelievable when you see his qualities.”
Now Ajax will up the ante in a bid to seal the deal. Arnold Muhren, the former Manchester United and Ipswich midfielder who starred for Holland in the 1980s, also can’t understand why Bergwijn spends so much time on the bench at Tottenham.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Would Spurs be making a mistake by letting Bergwijn leave the club? Comment below
Muhren said: “Steven needs to play regular football ahead of the World Cup. That is not happening at Spurs. He has big guys like Harry Kane and others in front of him. Steven forms a deadly duo with Memphis Depay for Holland and they had three goals between them against Belgium.
“Steven was desperate to play well. I could see that he had anger. Steven is thinking: ‘damn, I don’t get playing time at Spurs, but I will show the world here what a good player I am’. That attitude is good. He looks sharp and he will continue to play for Holland.”
