Jordan Henderson is finally set to make his Ajax debut against fierce rivals PSV
A short walk from the Johan Cruyff Arena in the south-east of Amsterdam lies the ‘De Toekomst’ training complex.
Owned by Ajax, De Toekomst means ‘The Future’ and with its nine football pitches (and two more to come), it is where the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Kluivert, Edwin Van der Sar, Luis Suarez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and many more illustrious footballing names have all passed through in their careers.
Across the training ground and inside the stadium, the phrase ‘Ajax for the future’ is emblazoned in red and white.
Almost as if there is an official acceptance from the marketing department too that the four-time European Cup winners are just a feeder club.
In the press conference room, there is a picture on the wall of Erik ten Hag’s 2021-22 squad from his final season in charge.
Premier League players like Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Mohammed Kudus, Jurrien Timber, Ryan Gravenberch, Edson Alvarez and Andre Onana are all in the photograph.
The reality is that promising players come to Ajax, develop and are then offloaded to the riches of the Premier League and that is precisely why the signing of Jordan Henderson on a two-and-half-year deal worth £120K per week has caused such a commotion in these parts.
In the club shop, the number six Henderson shirt is already their fastest-selling jersey of all-time. The media requests haven’t stopped coming in while Ajax’s social media platforms follow his every step. Club staff at the training ground passionately share stories of others telling them where they have seen Henderson from riding bikes with his wife and children in Vondelpark (a local park) to taking boat trips down the famous canals of Amsterdam.
The move for Henderson, 33, may go against the traditions of this
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