Manchester: Jose Mourinho is targeting Ajax’s Justin Kluivert this summer, with the 19-year-old favouring a move to Manchester United.
Kluivert, son of the former Barcelona and Netherlands centre-forward Patrick, has been in contract discussions with Ajax regarding a new deal.
However it is understood that these have broken down because of Kluivert’s demand that he should become the highest-paid player at the club.
Kluivert asked for a sizeable rise to 1.3 million pounds a year and a proportion of any future transfer fee, to be split between him and his agent, Mino Raiola. Ajax’s policy is to pay no player more than 1 million euros, so Kluivert demanded a significant signing-on fee to compensate.
Kluivert scored 10 goals in 30 league games this season — including a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Roda in November — and believes he deserves fresh terms to reflect his growing status. He is on the wage of his initial professional contract, signed in 2016, which ends next summer. Kluivert made his international debut in March, as a replacement in the Netherlands’ 3-0 win over Portugal.
Kluivert’s likes to play as a wide forward and can operate on either wing, though his preference is on the left. Mourinho was a coach at Barcelona in the late 1990s when Patrick Kluivert played for the club.
Mourinho’s interest in Kluivert casts further doubt over the future of Anthony Martial. The 22-year-old also plays on the left but has been unable to hold down a starting berth under the Portuguese. Mourinho criticised him after last Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion, and Martial was dropped to bench for Thursday’s goalless draw at West Ham United.
— Guardian News & Media Ltd
