Real Madrid: Ajax ready to offer €20m for Martin Odegaard
The Dutch club are looking to cover the likely departure of Donny van de Beek and are planning to include a buy-back option for Madrid in 2021.
Real Madrid midfielder Martin Odegaard’s successful loan season at Vitesse Arnhem has attracted the attention of Ajax, who are preparing to make a formal offer for the 20-year-old Norway international.
Ajax, whose own success this season has taken Erik Ten Hag’s young side to the verge of the Champions League final, are bound to be picked apart this summer by Europe’s biggest spenders with Frenkie de Jong already signing a deal with Barcelona and Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek expected to leave Amsterdam as well.
Ajax to offer Real Madrid €20m and a 2021 buy-back option
The Ajax board are therefore keen on securing replacements ahead of time and have been keeping a close eye on Odegaard and his Eredivisie exploits, with the midfielder chipping in eight goals and nine assists in 33 games. He has also regained his place in the Norway senior side after being relegated to the under-21s for some time when he was at Castilla and then struggling to make an impact at Heerenveen.
The Dutch side are ready to table a bid of 20 million euros for Odegaard with a Madrid-placating buy-back clause, although it will contain a sub-clause stating that the midfielder must spend at least two seasons at the Johan Cruijff Arena. That would give Real the option to bring Odegaard back to the Bernabéu in 2021, should the Liga club wish to do so.