AS Roma have officially completed the signing of Justin Kluivert from Ajax, with the Dutch prodigy snubbing Manchester United to sign a five-year deal at Stadio Olimpico.

AS Roma have made an official statement to confirm the signing of Justin Kluivert on a five-year contract. The Giallorossi have beaten Manchester United to land the Dutch wonderkid, having paid an initial €17.25 million with a maximum of a further €1.5 million in bonuses.

Kluivert has generated a lot of buzz around his talent, having rapidly progressed through the ranks at Ajax, like his father Patrick Kluivert before him, before breaking into the first-team setup aged just 17. But, there were soon to be trouble in paradise, as the 19-year-old accused the Dutch giants of trying to sell him to Tottenham behind his back.

With the relationship between the two parties soured, it became clear in the last few weeks that Kluivert would be leaving Ajax, having also rejected a renewal offer from the club. As the days passed, several suitors emerged in his pursuit, with Manchester United and AS Roma the front-runners in recent days.

At Manchester United, Kluivert has been seen as the kind of prospect who could possibly be a long-term solution in attack, particularly on the right flank. While he predominantly operates from the left flank, the teenage prodigy is also adept at playing on the opposite wing, and could have honed his skills accordingly in the years to come.

But, Manchester United’s hopes to sign Kluivert have now come to an end, with the player choosing to sign for AS Roma instead. Indeed, the Giallorossi were rumoured to have taken the lead in his pursuit, and have now completed his signing on a five-year deal that includes an initial fee of €17.25 million in addition to possible bonuses worth €1.5 million.

A new chapter beckons in Rome. (Photo courtesy - Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
A new chapter beckons in Rome. (Photo courtesy – Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Additionally, in the event of his future sale by Roma, Ajax will be eligible to receive 10% of the difference on any transfer fee greater than €25 million – up to a maximum possible payment of €4 million. Kluivert was visibly excited upon completing the move, iterating that he can’t wait to get started at Stadio Olimpico.

“I’m feeling great. I’m at an unbelievable club and I can’t wait to start. I think Roma is a great club for me – I think they can build me into a bigger, stronger player and I can do some nice things here.”

Kluivert is the fourth signing that Roma have made this summer, after Ante Coric, Ivan Marcano and Bryan Cristante, and could be a direct replacement for Stephan El Shaarawy, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Stadio Olimpico.

Kluivert, thus, continues to emulate his father’s career trajectory, having moved to Serie A after first breaking into the Ajax first-team squad. It remains to be seen if he can realise his Barcelona dream in the future, but for now, Roma have an exciting prospect at their disposal. As far as Manchester United are concerned, they must turn their attention elsewhere for attacking reinforcements.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.