Ajax and Borussia Monchengladbach have reportedly reached an agreement for the transfer of Japanese defender Ko Itakura.
Several Dutch sources, including Voetbal International and De Telegraaf, report on Monday that Ajax will pay Gladbach a transfer fee of around €10 million, which could rise via bonuses. The first bid of the Amsterdam club reportedly got rejected by Borussia Monchengladbach, who were also in contact with Feyenoord, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Fiorentina about Itakura.
Ajax have reportedly planned Itakura's medical exam for Friday and want to finalise the signing on Saturday, one day before the Amsterdam giants open their Eredivisie season against Telstar.
The 28-year-old Itakura will sign a four-year contract in Amsterdam, where he's expected to form a centre-back partnership with Croatian international Josip Sutalo. Ajax have an option to extend Itakura's contract by one more year.
Itakura will not be the direct replacement of Jorrel Hato, who left the club for Chelsea for €44 million. The Amsterdam club will reportedly continue their search for a new left-back.
Ajax and Itakura in talks for months
Itakura had reached a personal agreement with Ajax, who were in talks with the defender for "months", long before the clubs struck a deal for the Japanese centre-half, whose contract in Germany was due to expire in 2026.
Ko Itakura's recent statisticsFlashscore
Itakura reportedly met with Marijn Beuker, Ajax's director of football, in June around the World Cup qualifier between Japan and Indonesia. Beuker was in Japan to visit partner club Gamba Osaka.
The 28-time Japanese international joined Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach in 2022 from Manchester City, where Itakura never played a game. The right-footed defender was loaned out to FC Groningen for two seasons before joining Schalke 04 on loan in 2021.