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"Adios, Mauro" - Rosales transfer to River Plate finalized

06 March: After a 'soap opera' of a full month Ajax and River Plate have finally reached an agreement on the transfer of Mauro Rosales to the Argentinian powerhouse. The Amsterdam club finally received the bank guarantee for the entire transfer fee demanded. According to press reports River Plate have paid 1.8 million euros for the right winger (26), who had a contract until 30 June 2008. The transfer marks the end of Rosales' Ajax career of two and a half seasons.

Was Mauro Rosales (born Cordóba, Argentina, 24 February 1981) succesful as an Ajacied? Well... let's say: sometimes. He had a fine start at the Amsterdam club and was important for his team towards the end of the 2005-2006 campaign, particularly in the post-season play-offs. Over-all, however, he did not live up to the expectations. Those expectations were high -- perhaps too high -- when the right winger of Newell's Old Boys was presented as Ajax's new right winger on 30 August 2004. One week earlier he had won the Olympic gold medal with the Argentinian team in Athens, Greece. Rosales was one of the stars of the tournament, right next to Carlo Tevez, whom he provided with the decisive assist in the final. This was a big purchase for Ajax, and the Dutch press underscored how special it was that a player of Rosales' caliber preferred Ajax over the Italian and Spanish clubs that were also interested in his services.

Rosales had a marvellous start and scored very regularly in his first couple of months, but then seemed to pay the toll for not having had a summer break: he struggled in the second half of the 2004-2005 campaign, had to undergo ankle surgery at the end of it and promised that "Amsterdam was yet to see the real Rosales". Did Amsterdam get to see him that 'real Rosales' in the 2005-2006 campaign? As we said before: sometimes. Rosales had a disappointing season, but - like the rest of the team - picked up form in the latter months of the campaign, scoring the first goal in both legs of the play-off clash with Feyenoord in April 2006.

But the great right winger Ajax had hoped for? The man who had 'something special'? In all honesty: not really. That was also the opinion of new Ajax head-coach Henk ten Cate, who soon lost faith in Rosales and made Tom De Mul the new right winger of Ajax-1. Mauro Rosales' very last appearance for Ajax one were four minutes as a substitute in the 'Classic' against Feyenoord, on 04 February of this year. It was his 91st official appearance for Ajax. He scored 13 goals in total.

Around that date, in early February, River Plate contacted Ajax. The clubs agreed on a transfer fee soon enough, but River Plate were apparently unable to submit the bank guarantee that Ajax demanded. The European transfer window closed and by 22 February (while Ajax were in Germany for their UEFA Cup game against SV Werder Bermen) the deal seemed to have fallen through, much to Rosales' disappointment. It turned out, however, that the Argentinian transfer window remained open for another week and even after that week, the Argentinian F.A. (AFA) had mercy on River Plate, who finalized the transfer on Monday 05 March. Ajax made it official the day after.

Mauro Rosales is no longer an Ajacied, but will most definitely be remembered by the supporters, especially the fanatics of Vak 410, who seemed to have 'something special' with the Argentinian, who was always praised for his positive attitude. "Mauro is always smiling," coach Henk ten Cate once said. "I truly admire his positivity."

The final word is for Rosales himself: "The past few years have been wonderful for me. It was my first time to Europe and it is obvious to me that Ajax was the right choice. Thanks to the squad as a whole, the players as individuals and all the people working at Ajax I can have very positive memories of my three years here. I've had my downs as well, but all in all I've had a fantastic time at Ajax. I've always worked hard and I leave the club with pleasant memories. I am proud to have been an Ajacied."

Proud to 'have been' an Ajacied, Mauro? We'll tell you what: you will always be one! It was great to have you here. Thank you for your goals (especially for scoring a few against Feyenoord) and good luck at River Plate. Muchos gracias, amigo! (MP)

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