Owen Wijndal narrowly escaped Ajax on Deadline Day after a mystery club withdrew from negotiations at the eleventh hour, leaving the Dutch left-back stranded at the Amsterdam club. According to journalist Mike Verweij on the Kick-off podcast from De Telegraaf, the situation unfolded in dramatic fashion as contract termination talks collapsed in the final hours of the transfer window.
Wijndal, who earns a substantial salary at Ajax while seeing limited first-team action, briefly considered ending his contract to facilitate the move. "A lot was happening around him," Verweij explained. "There was a club that wanted him." Speculation initially pointed toward Sint-Truiden, the Belgian outfit, but Verweij swiftly dismissed those reports. "No, that is nonsense," he said emphatically. "Really nonsense. It was a much bigger club." The journalist declined to identify the interested party, citing the tight timeframe as a contributing factor to the deal's collapse.
Contract Extension Stays Intact
The failed transfer exposed Wijndal's financial predicament. His lucrative €2.5 million annual salary at Ajax became a stumbling block once the prospective transfer evaporated. Without a concrete move secured, he had no incentive to sacrifice his earnings through contract termination. "He does not want to just give up that €2.5 million salary, understandably," Verweij noted, explaining the impasse that kept Wijndal in Amsterdam.
With European transfer windows now closed, only Portugal and Saudi Arabia remain viable destinations for mid-season moves. However, neither market appears appealing for the 24-year-old defender. "That is obviously not interesting for Wijndal at all," Verweij stated. "I do not expect Portugal's top three to want him, and the question is whether he wants to go to Saudi Arabia." The left-back now faces an uncertain future at Ajax, where reduced playing time and missed transfer opportunities could complicate his career trajectory ahead of the summer window.
