Ryan van de Pavert is returning to AFC Ajax after his loan spell at SC Cambuur was terminated early. The 20-year-old midfielder is leaving the Frisian club due to personal circumstances and heading back to Amsterdam, as reported by De Telegraaf.
Van de Pavert had only signed a one-season loan contract with Cambuur at the end of June. He even started the first league match against Excelsior. "Due to personal circumstances, the past period has not gone as I had hoped," the player said. Ajax currently sits sixth in the Eredivisie with four points from two games and a goal difference of +2. They trail league leaders AZ Alkmaar by five points.
What does the return mean for Ajax?
Ryan van de Pavert was a regular for Jong Ajax last season. He made 24 appearances for the reserve team. His return adds an option to the Amsterdam club's squad, which you can view on our squad page. The young midfielder will need to find his place within the current setup.
Van de Pavert's arrival comes as Ajax prepares for an away match against Telstar on August 30th. The Amsterdams want to continue their solid start, having recorded one win and one draw. The current league table can be followed via our standings overview.
What other transfers have been reported?
Alongside the news about Van de Pavert, more Dutch players are on the move. Ki-Jana Hoever, the 24-year-old right-back who once left Ajax's academy for Liverpool, has signed a multi-year contract with Sparta Prague. The Czech top club is managed by former Feyenoord coach Brian Priske from Denmark.
Ernest Poku is also making a move. The 22-year-old winger is joining Besiktas on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. AZ received 10 million euros for his transfer to Germany last summer. Poku played 45 matches for Leverkusen, scoring five goals and providing eight assists. The loan fee is 3 million euros, with an option to buy for 20 million that becomes automatic if a certain number of matches is reached.
How is the market reacting to these moves?
The Poku transfer could net AZ a substantial amount next year thanks to a sell-on percentage and a solidarity contribution from Germany. Last week there were also reports of concrete interest from Fiorentina in the attacker. Poku arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday evening for his medical.
There is movement at AZ as well. Defender Billy van Duijl, aged 20, is being loaned to SC Cambuur for one season, the club Van de Pavert is leaving. Van Duijl started in the Johan Cruijff Shield match against PSV (0-4) and played 49 matches for Jong AZ over the past two years. Additionally, 22-year-old Danish winger Isak Jensen is joining FC Lorient on loan. Jensen, who has four years left on his AZ contract, played 55 matches for the Alkmaar side, scoring seven times.
The coming weeks will show how these changes work out for all clubs involved. Ajax now focuses on the next match, with the full schedule available on our fixtures page. The team has scored four goals and conceded two this season, a foundation to build upon.
