Ajax has published the financial figures for the 2020/21 financial year. The champion of the Netherlands reports a net loss of 8.1 million euros, compared to a profit of 20.7 million euros in the previous season. The club points to the corona crisis as the main cause of the red numbers. Turnover fell by 37.1 million euros to 125.2 million euros, also ‘mainly’ due to the lack of an audience in matches. Shareholders’ equity decreased by 6.8 million euros to 222 million euros.
Ajax has raised 86.1 million euros from player sales, mainly as a result of the transfers of Donny van de Beek to Manchester United, Sergiño Dest to Barcelona, Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea and Lassina Traoré to Shakhtar Donetsk. Traoré’s transfer is the largest that Ajax made last summer. The loss can therefore also be explained by the lack of larger transfers. Another reason for the financial damage is the generous compensation arrangement that Ajax agreed with its own supporters last season.
Reimbursing season tickets and related costs has resulted in a damage amount of 35 million euros, reported The Telegraph last month. Ajax supporters received the full amount paid for the season ticket back, unless they decided to give up on their own initiative to support the club. On top of that, Ajax did not get any income from single ticket sales, while in a normal season with European matches that would bring in an amount of seventeen million euros.
Ajax also expects to suffer a loss next season. In addition to a negative impact on the operating result, the ongoing corona crisis also has a negative impact on the transfer market and the related transfer results. “Both the operating result and the result after tax in 2021/22 are expected to be negative due to this impact. Possible transfer results and sporting results in the second half of the 2021/22 season can ensure that a positive net result can still be achieved. are being brought.”
Ajax has claimed NOW 3 subsidies amounting to 10.7 million euros. The NOW (Temporary Emergency Measure Bridging for Employment) is intended for employers who are experiencing a substantial loss of turnover as a result of the corona virus. They can submit an application to the UWV for an allowance for wage costs and receive an advance for this.
From the funds received from the Champions League participation, Ajax has also made a one-off solidarity contribution of three million to the Eredivisie CV, for further distribution among the clubs that do not play European football. That appointment was made when the 2019/20 season was prematurely interrupted by the corona virus and Ajax was allowed to enter the Champions League as the leader.
In the 2019/20 season, which was cut short in the Netherlands due to corona, Ajax made a net profit of 20.7 million euros. This was mainly due to a positive transfer balance of 84.5 million euros, created by the sales of Matthijs de Ligt and Kasper Dolberg, which fell in that financial year. The operating result, so without transfers included, was already 3.2 million euros in the red.