Former Everton man Davy Klaassen used by Marco van Basten as transfer example
Marco van Basten believes former Everton flop Davy Klaassen is an example of leaving Ajax too early.
Speaking to TV show Rondo [via Ajax Showtime], the former Dutch international revealed his thoughts on players finding the step up from Ajax too tough.
Klaassen joined the Toffees from Ajax in the summer of 2017, and he made 16 appearances in which he scored no goals and provided one assist before he left to join Werder Bremen. So you can see why Van Basten used him as an example.
He said: “He [Klaassen] shows it, goes to Everton and loses it.
“Then he goes to Werder Bremen, he comes back to Ajax, and he rejoins the Dutch national team. The players at Ajax do not realise how good they can play football at Ajax. That is really different abroad.”
Van Basten also mentioned Toffees target, Donny van de Beek [Liverpool Echo]; he said: “You can also see it in Van de Beek.
“He comes out very well at Ajax for a number of years, leaves for Manchester United and sits on the bench.”
Interesting claims from Van Basten.
If you look back at Klaassen’s time at Goodison Park, you would say he was a total failure.
However, he joined the club at the same time as three other attacking midfielders, so he was up against it from day one.
Klaassen was forced to compete for one spot in the side, and instead of being signed as the main man, he had to try and battle his way into the team.
In the end, it didn’t work out, and he left, having failed to show what he could do over a prolonged period of time.
This is a fascinating interview from Van Basten, but we aren’t sure if Klaassen wasn’t ready to leave Ajax or if he simply couldn’t get a chance because of the Toffees’ poor recruitment?
It is certainly something that is worth thinking about, and it would be interesting to know who agrees with Van Basten and who doesn’t.
In other Everton news, Kevin Campbell has made a transfer suggestion after the Toffees’ horrible defeat to Watford.
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