Kelvin de Lang is satisfied with Ajax's winter transfer period, in which he brought in Jordan Henderson as acting technical director. The head scout tells in conversation with Ajax TV about the background of the controversial transfer.

Ajax took over Henderson on a free transfer from Al-Ettifaq, after the Englishman had his contract in Saudi Arabia terminated. “I received the message from my network that Henderson would like to return to Europe,” says De Lang, who was appointed chief scout at Ajax last summer. After the dismissal of Sven Mislintat, De Lang takes over as technical director.

“That immediately made me enthusiastic. I put the scouting to work to ensure that we had also seen enough recent images of Henderson. It all looked very positive.”

Henderson was also brought in by Ajax because of his personality as a leader. “That also emerged from the analysis. We spoke to players who played with him, trainers who worked with him.”

“In a short period of time you do a lot of research into everything you want to know about the player. We then scheduled a video meeting and then the ball started rolling.”

Henderson will make his debut as a starting player for Ajax on Saturday in the top match at home against PSV, coach John van 't Schip confirmed at the press conference on Friday. Without having played a minute, Henderson has already made an impact within the club.

“He is very interested: he is going to watch Jong Ajax and go into town on his cargo bike,” says De Lang. “In addition, he is constantly coaching players and has the ambition to be part of the English national selection for the European Championship again. We have the ambition to fight for third place. That together felt good.”

Ajax deliberately did not make any significant sales in the winter transfer period. “There has been interest in many players. However, we are now fighting for the places in European football and the highest achievable therein. Then you have to ensure that you keep the selection in good order.”

“If clubs are interested that are either too low in terms of bids, or it concerns a rental option, then you have to think carefully about whether you go along with it. Then the conditions must be really good.”

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