Ajax has booked a net profit of 20.7 million euros in the 2019/20 financial year, the operational loss amounts to 3.1 million euros, according to the annual figures published on Tuesday. The 2018/19 financial year, with an operating profit of more than 34 million euros, went down in the books as one of the best of this century, but the corona crisis has caused severe financial blows in football. Valentijn Driessen is of the opinion that Ajax should not make use of the NOW scheme, the wage contribution from the government to corona-affected companies.

“In fact, the club should repay the amount received of four million euros. Such a thing would adorn Ajax ”, emphasizes the football chief The Telegraph Friday in his column. “With such a signal you make a great gesture to society, instead of brushing up your profit figures on the back of society. The club is entitled to the NOW contribution; nowhere does it say that you also have to obtain justice. Unfortunately, Ajax’s management and supervisory board do not take this social responsibility and the club does not feel a moral obligation to renounce the NOW scheme. ”

Driessen points out that Ajax is adding part of the profit from the transfer income to the general reserves item, which item is also intended for unforeseen calamities such as a pandemic. “The argument that Ajax cannot ask for money from fans, partners and sponsors if it does not use the maximum possibilities (NOW scheme) to keep up its own pants is not valid. Especially when the taxpayer then pays for it. ” The head of football of the newspaper states that Ajax would have received an additional 1.7 million euros from the state grape if they had not opted for the NOW office variant, a contribution for the office staff and not for the employees at the football branch.

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It is unclear whether PSV, AZ and Feyenoord will repay the NOW contribution if they write black figures about the corona season, as the clubs have not yet presented the annual accounts. At the same time, Driessen emphasizes that it is not fair that Ajax is portrayed as grabbers and money grubbers. “Of all clubs, Ajax contributes the most euros to the change agenda and the solidarity fund and pays a considerable amount to be allowed to play in the Eerste Divisie with Jong Ajax.”

There is a good chance that many professional clubs will claim the second extension of the NOW scheme for the period from October 2020 to June 2021. Driessen hopes that Ajax will refrain from this and director Edwin van der Sar points out that the club time of corporate social responsibility ‘can make a good turn for themselves and as a standard-bearer of Dutch professional football for the entire industry. “If there is no refund from Amsterdam of the four million euros of the first NOW contribution, then in any case forgo the millions of euros from the taxpayer in the next term of the NOW scheme. Also knowing that the counter of UEFA revenues for the current season is already about plus forty million euros gross. ”

The turnover in the past financial year was more than 162 million euros, which is more than 37 million euros lower than last year, due to lower income from European competitions and the corona virus. Ajax earned about 84 million on transfers, mainly through the transfers of Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) and Kasper Dolberg (OGC Nice). The compensation amounts for Donny van de Beek (Manchester United), Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) and Sven Botman (Lille) are included in the current financial year, in which Ajax expects to make a loss.

Ajax’s total equity has increased by 18.8 million euros and now amounts to 228.8 million. Ajax does not pay a dividend to the shareholders. This is partly because the club from Amsterdam has appealed to the NOW scheme due to the corona virus. In this situation it is not allowed to distribute dividends.