Ajax undergoes major squad overhaul under Jordi Cruyff’s leadership

Ajax, the club that practically invented modern football philosophy, is trying to rebuild itself again. This time, the architect carrying the family name is Jordi Cruyff, who took over as technical director in February 2026 and promptly set about reshaping the squad. The numbers tell the story: 17 players out, 11 players in, and a net transfer profit of roughly €55 million. Ajax generated approximately €92 million from player sales while spending around €36.4 million on new acquisitions. The most expensive incoming deal was Marcos Leonardo, who arrived from Saudi club Al-Hilal for €19.9 million. That single transfer accounted for more than half of Ajax’s total outlay. The strategy leaned heavily on free transfers and loan deals. Among the headline arrivals, goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen joined on loan from Barcelona. Julian Brandt arrived on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund. Sofyan Amrabat, the Moroccan midfielder who became a household name during the 2022 World Cup, also joined. The coaching piece Cruyff appointed Míchel Sánchez as head coach in early June 2026. Míchel is a Spanish coach known for his possession-based approach, fitting the philosophical tradition Ajax ha...