Schone explains why he decided to leave Ajax for Genoa

Lasse Schone explains why he decided to leave Ajax for Genoa. “It’s the right decision for us as a family and for me as a football player.”

The Denmark international was a key figure in the side that reached the Champions League semi-final last season, eliminating Juventus along the way.

This morning, he signed a two-year contract with Genoa, who only narrowly avoided relegation from Serie A, in a deal believed to be worth just €1.5m.

“I don’t have to tell you how I feel about this club,” Schone told Ajax TV.

“It certainly was not an easy decision to make, but it was the right decision for us as a family and for me as a football player.

“I’ve come to Italy before on vacation and I love the country. If you have a chance to play in Serie A and you see Genoa really wants you to come, then you have to take on that great adventure.

“I still love football too much to sit on the beach somewhere, but I want to keep playing at a high level and I can do that at Genoa. As a family, we can also enjoy life there.

“It’s definitely not goodbye to Ajax and the Netherlands, though. I can leave with my head held high, as the last season was the absolute highlight of my time here.

“I’m proud to have been able to wear the Ajax jersey so many times. I’ll miss everyone and hope I left some good memories, but they’re not completely rid of me yet. I’ll return to live in Amsterdam after I’ve retired and hope to be welcomed back.”