Daley Blind: Ajax defender reacts to January transfer news

Daley Blind, a defender for the Netherlands, has expressed his frustration at how widely known it is now that he will likely leave Ajax in January.

Blind has been given permission to leave the Amsterdam giants on a free transfer, according to a report from the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf on Wednesday.

Due to his lengthy service, which came either side of a four-year stint with Manchester United, the club is rumoured to have agreed to make the transition for his departure easier.

The 32-year-old Blind, who is the son of Ajax legend Danny Blind, started his playing career in the club’s youth ranks before making it to the senior squad.

He went to Old Trafford for a while before coming back to Ajax in July 2018. The 99-cap international’s contract was set to expire at the end of this season, but it now appears likely that he will leave earlier.

According to reports, Blind is reportedly interested in playing for Belgian club Royal Antwerp, whose director of football Marc Overmars previously held at Ajax.

Blind responded to the breaking news on Twitter with the following cryptic statement: “Such a pity but typical that this is within a day with the ‘media’.

“It is also a misrepresentation of things. Sigh..”

Blind scored for the Netherlands during their campaign in Qatar, scoring in the 3-1 victory over the United States at the last-16 stage. Blind was only a substitute in Ajax’s final games before the World Cup break.

Blind, who has almost 100 caps for the Netherlands, will try to hold onto his popularity during Ronald Koeman’s second term as the team’s head coach.

Louis van Gaal, whose third tenure in charge of the national team ended with a defeat to Argentina on penalties in the World Cup quarterfinals, will be replaced by Koeman.