How Ajax could have lined up if they hadn’t sold their best players
Despite being the most successful football club in the Netherlands, Ajax lost its charisma in the last few decades and became a selling club for the big clubs across Europe.
The decline in the reputation and revenue of the Dutch League affected the clubs immensely and the Eredivisie teams always find it difficult to keep hold of their best players when the clubs from the bigger leagues come calling for them.
Nevertheless, Ajax still have a decent squad and could have proven to be a serious threat to the big clubs in the Champions League if they had managed to keep all their star players at the club.
Here's the Ajax's XI if they had their best players.
Formation: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper - Jasper Cillessen
The Netherlands international was among the best goalkeepers in the Eredivisie prior to his move to Barcelona. He conceded just 119 goals in his 143 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch giants.
Cillessen started his professional career with his local club, NEC in 2010 and made 31 league appearances during his debut season. His impressive performances were awarded the Gelderland Footballer of the Year 2010 accolade and also earned him the move to Netherlands' most successful club, Ajax.
He made 101 league appearances in his six years of stay with the club and won the Ajax Player of the Year accolade twice. Cillessen lifted three Eredivisie titles with the Amsterdam based club and also helped his team win the Johan Cruyff Shield 2013.
However, his growth stalled after his move to Barcelona and he managed to make just two La Liga appearances in the last two seasons. He was linked with a move away from Camp Nou last summer but his huge £25 million price tag prevented him from ending his torrid spell with the Blaugrana.
Stats- transfermaket.co.uk