Rasmus Lindgren pens new deal until summer 2007
31 March: Rasmus Lindgren has signed a new deal at the
Amsterdam ArenA today. Lindgren, whose first 'youth contract'
at Ajax would have expired at season's end, committed to
the Amsterdam club until 30 June 2007. Lindgren
recently told several Dutch media that he was only
going to sign a new deal if Ajax could guarantee him a a
slot in the first squad for next season. Apparently, Ajax have
made that promise to the 20 year-old midfielder.
Rasmus Lindgren (born 29 November 1984 in Landskrona,
Sweden) joined Ajax in January 2003 and made his début
for Young Ajax on 24 february of that year against Young PSV.
Lindgren had a rather difficult start at Young Ajax
and did not immediately make an impression. This changed during
the 2003-2004 season, in which he became a starter for Young
Ajax, was assigned the captain's armband and was invited
by Ajax-1 boss Ronald Koeman for friendlies with the first
team on a regular basis.
Finally, after 29 appearances for Young Ajax (five
goals) and nine friendlies with the first team (another five
goals) he finally made his official Ajax-1
début on 13 February 2005 in the Eredivisie away game
against NAC Breda. So far, Lindgren had three Eredivisie
appearances for Ajax. He also saw action in the UEFA Cup home
match against AJ Auxerre.
More contract news...
According to Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool Ajax
have told goalkeeper Hans Vonk that he can stay at Ajax for
another season. This will almost certainly mean that either
Bogdan Lobont or Maarten Stekelenburg will leave Ajax at
season's end. Both goalkeepers still have deals until the
summer of 2008, but have made clear that they want to be the
first man next season. Young Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer is
expected to become goalkeeper number three, reports Het
Parool.
Midfielder Robin Muller van Moppes and Finnish left fullback
Niklas Moisander both signed a contract for one season. The
contracts of both players would have expired at season's end,
but they missed the large part of the current
season because they're recovering from serious
knee injuries. Their new one year deals must be regarded
as a new chance to prove themselves. Niklas Moisander's
brother, goalkeeper Henrik, has also signed a new one
year deal.
Two Young Ajax players, namely goalkeeper Robert Zwinkels
and defender Ruud Kras, have been told that their deals will
not be renewed. They will leave Ajax in the summer, just
like Yannis Anastasiou, veteran striker of Ajax-1. Het
Parool claims that the Armenian teenager who was in
Amsterdam on a try-out in December 2004, Edgar
Manucharyan, is likely to be added to the Ajax-1 squad as
his successor. (MP)
Source: Het Parool, Ajax.nl
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