Anass Salah-Eddine is definitely a player for FC Twente, his former employer Ajax and the Enschede team themselves announced through official channels. The 22-year-old wing defender signs with the current number three in the Eredivisie until mid-2027, who has also included an option for an extra year in the contract.

After technical director Arnold Bruggink also signed Myron Boadu earlier on Deadline Day, FC Twente now also has Salah-Eddine at its disposal. In a response, the back says he is happy to play for the club where he was also temporarily active last season.

“It is very nice to be back at FC Twente and to see the players again tomorrow,” he says. “I had a great season at the club last year and I hope to continue that.”

“The fact that I am signing my contract today, on the same day as Boadu, is very special. I know him well from my time at AZ and we have always kept in touch,” Salah-Eddine is quoted on the club website.

“We know Anass well, he made an excellent impression on loan last season,” Bruggink said in a response. “It is great that we can now permanently take over this talented player from Ajax. Anass is a player we have a lot of confidence in now and in the future.”

Salah-Eddine still had a contract at the Johan Cruijff ArenA until mid-2025, but has barely featured this season. Under both the now dismissed Maurice Steijn and John van 't Schip, he usually had to make do with a reserve role.

Last summer he returned to Amsterdam after a rental period at Twente and was immediately in the starting line-up as a left back during the first two Eredivisie matches. Salah-Eddine then lost his starting spot and had to make do with a number of substitute appearances. Salah-Eddine played nine official matches for Ajax 1 this season, only two of which were as a starter.

Salah-Eddine will compete in Enschede with Gijs Smal, who has an expiring contract. It seems to be a tough task for Salah-Eddine, who can also play in midfield, to play Smal out of the starting line-up.

Salah-Eddine was taken over by Ajax from AZ's youth academy in 2018. Eighteen months ago he was loaned to Twente for a season. The left-footed played seventeen times on behalf of the Tukkers, once acting as a reporter.

According to transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, Salah-Eddine also received interest from Rangers FC and Torino at an earlier stage, but with his impending transfer to Twente he will be retained for the Eredivisie.

This article is an update of an earlier news item. The comments below the message may therefore be less current.

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