Lisandro Magallán will leave Ajax this winter through the back door, the Spanish knows ASH. The 29-year-old Argentine is close to a move to Elche CF, which is battling relegation in LaLiga. Magallán’s contract expires next summer in Amsterdam, so that Ajax can save some costs through a winter departure of the mandekker.
Magallán will report to Elche in the coming days, where he will undergo a medical examination. He then finishes the season with the number twenty of LaLiga. It is not yet known whether it is a final transfer or lease. Incidentally, Elche has no chance in last place, eight points behind Cádiz and Sevilla. Elche is no less than nine points behind Celta de Vigo, which is just above the relegation line.
For Ajax, a final departure of Magallán would mean the end of an extremely painful employment. The right-footed defender was taken over from Boca Juniors in the winter of 2019 for no less than nine million euros and signed a very lucrative contract at the time. In the end, Magallán only played 192 official minutes for Ajax, spread over nine appearances. Converted, the transfer fee of the Argentinian cost the club about 46,000 euros per minute played. In between, he played on a rental basis for Deportivo Alavés, RSC Anderlecht and Crotone.
Magallán’s most painful performance was under Erik ten Hag in De Kuip, when Ajax lost 6-2 against arch-rival Feyenoord. The rearguard player was substituted after an hour after he was completely outplayed by 36-year-old Robin van Persie, who managed to score twice. He also came on for one minute during the Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur (2-3), when Ajax handed over a final place in the very last second and Lucas Moura managed to make his third of the evening.
Under Alfred Schreuder, Magallán came into action twice this season, in the away games at Fortuna Sittard (2-3 win) and FC Utrecht (0-2 win). Now the bad buy of Marc Overmars, after a very unhappy marriage, seems to finally close the door behind him in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Ajax seems to have little or nothing to do with that departure.