Harry Forrester close to signing for Ajax

[cb]

and for me, i would rather we invested a bit of cash and gambled on  few players young talented with lots of potential and have a few fall by the wayside, than not bother because it may not work out...

Quite right. In fact it's something I'd like to see us do more of. Our youth system is very good, but I'd really like to see us bring through the odd real superstar. I think having a policy of investing say £1M a year to try and poach players like Forrester was at that age would have a good chance of reaping big dividends. If say we spent £200K on five players a year, only one of them needs to come off for us to at least get our money back.I'm sure it's easier said than done, but this is what Wenger does at Arsenal, and I don't see why we can't do something similar....

[pablopicasso_10]

i agree cb and i would assume that is a direction we are looking at taking for the long term "plan"...

a few examples in recent years, arsenio halfhuid (didnt work out), juan jose serrano de la cruz vidal, (looks good so far), benjamin siegrist (looks a fantastic prospect), daniel johnson (is progressing a lot quicker than i thought he would), etc, etc, etc...

and then the likes of callum robinson, jack grealish, jordan graham, etc, coming direct from the academy, etc...

the academy is going to be vital to our future...

[VillaZogmariner]

Opts for Brentford instead

[JUAN PABLO]

Oh well , you can probably still get cheese in Brentford.

[PeterWithesShin]

As would anyone.

I love this that's on the BBC page though.

AJAX v BRENTFORD
Domestic titles - Ajax 30-0 Brentford
European Cups - Ajax 4-0 Brentford
Football League Trophy finals - Ajax 0-3 Brentford

Whoever did that, I salute you!!

[dave.woodhall]

He's chosen Brentford over Ajax. My cynical head tells me that's not the whole story.

[JUAN PABLO]

He's chosen Brentford over Ajax. My cynical head tells me that's not the whole story.

I think he thought he would have to wear clogs ..

[Marlon's Hairy Wood]

from another forum

'I know him. His mother is very ill. Said to only have a few months to live. Ajax would not allow him to travel home weekly so he chose Brentford.'

[Percy McCarthy]

from another forum

'I know him. His mother is very ill. Said to only have a few months to live. Ajax would not allow him to travel home weekly so he chose Brentford.'

Sounds like a very good reason. My sympathies and best wishes to Harry and his mom and all the family.

[eamonn]

Sounds like he's learning how to grow-up.
Forrester said: "I need to start playing first-team football and prove myself in a men's environment."
And if it's true about his mam he'll learn even quicker. Best of luck to him.

[cdbearsfan]

I think Ajax have reserve and other affiliated teams lower down the Dutch League. Presumably he would've been playing for them. Makes some sense to choose lower-division English football ahead of lower-division Dutch football. Maybe he got sick of playing for Villa Reserves and wanted first team football. Fair enough.

[olaftab]

As would anyone.

I love this that's on the BBC page though.

AJAX v BRENTFORD
Domestic titles - Ajax 30-0 Brentford
European Cups - Ajax 4-0 Brentford
Football League Trophy finals - Ajax 0-3 Brentford

Whoever did that, I salute you!!

Obviously Brentford can't win the Dutch league but not to win a single European Cup..tut tut