Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 07:28• Yanick Vos • Last update: 07:57

Marc Overmars says he looks with ‘a lot of interest’ at the development in the football landscape. In an interview with Football International Ajax’s director of football affairs quotes the Red Bull concern. According to Overmars, Ajax and the Red Bull clubs, such as RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg, are fishing in the same pond with a view to attracting new players.

RB Leipzig has grown into a top club in Germany in recent years. Last year, coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. “There is so much capital there. We both fish a lot in the same pond when we are looking for new players, but that has really become a concern, ”said Overmars, who is impressed by the way in which the clubs of the Red Bull group work. “They employ forty scouts, who live in all kinds of different countries, we are simply going to lose it. The football of the future is being bought by the rich in the world, it is increasingly becoming an oil slick. ”

Ajax has achieved impressive performances in recent years, both nationally and internationally. Overmars is of the opinion that what the Amsterdammers have achieved is also possible for the Dutch competitors. “What we do, clubs like Feyenoord and PSV can in principle also”, says Overmars, who emphasizes that it should not be forgotten where Ajax comes from. “Eight years ago, nothing was financially possible at Ajax. We have been building for years to be able to take those steps. Always improving the organization and ourselves. You do that together. From commerce to football: everything aimed at football, to grow in it. Why should PSV and Feyenoord not be able to do that too? But something like that takes time. ”

Overmars wants to take a new step with Ajax in the coming transfer period. He takes into account the departure of Nicolás Tagliafico and David Neres. Overmars will first have to sell players before putting money on the table for new players. “The challenges for the new season are quite big,” said the director. “That is also partly the result of our own policy. We have continuously raised the bar in terms of new contracts. Then you get the dynamic that everything and everyone wants to go along with it. That is also what we must watch for. We cannot just go towards the millions for every player. Because you can already see the entire cost item growing considerably, while the income has decreased. ”