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Ajax have reshaped rather than rebuilt & can shock Europe's big guns once again

  /  autty

It felt like there was something to savour last season when watching Ajax overturn Europe's elite on their gripping run to the Champions League semi-final.

As Matthijs de Ligt underlined why Barcelona and Juventus were jostling for his signature, Barcelona-bound Frenkie de Jong orchestrated their midfield with Real Madrid target Donny van de Beek. In attack, wingers Hakim Ziyech and David Neres spearheaded their charge into the last four as they eliminated Real and Juve on the way.

It seemed inevitable after Tottenham eliminated them in the most agonising of circumstances with Lucas Moura's 90th minute second leg goal that the wealthiest clubs across the continent would plunder the Dutch side for their top talents. Indeed, it often happens. If there is one side in Europe equipped for a rebuild, it's Ajax.

Curiously, the seemingly impending exodus never quite materialised.

Yes, captain De Ligt departed for Juventus and De Jong went to Barcelona - a move announced back in January, but otherwise the only other notable departure was  striker Kasper Dohlberg's move to Nice.

Real's interest in Van De Beek never turned into anything more due to Zinedine Zidane's failed pursuit of Paul Pogba.

Neres, the Brazil winger with blistering pace and an eye for goal, signed a new contract to stay in Holland until 2022. His team-mate Hakim Ziyech, another winger, was strongly linked to Bayern Munich as they searched for replacements for Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, but the Morocco international wanted to stay.

So too did Dusan Tadic, the former Southampton man who scored a stunning 34 times in all competitions last season. He already has eight for this campaign.

It also must be acknowledged that while technical director Edwin van der Sar has been frequently linked with a return to Manchester United as director of football, he speaks cautiously at the prospect of leaving Ajax.

And under Van Der Sar's guidance, they've spent astutely in the transfer window; attacking midfielder Quincy Promes was signed from Sevilla in their most expensive summer signing at around £15m.

Elsewhere, Mexico international Edson Alvarez arrived alongside Lisandro Martinez to fill the void left by De Ligt and highly-rated Razvan Marin came from Standard Liege and replaced De Jong.

They have, instead, reshaped rather than rebuilt and the impact has been exceptional; Ajax begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday night against Lille unbeaten in 13 games already this season.

Incredibly, last year's semi-finalists had to go through qualifying to secure a place in the group stages of this year's tournament but they duly swatted aside PAOK and Apoel Nicosia before being draw in a group alongside Chelsea, Lille and Valencia.

It's a group they should back themselves to qualify from. And after that, nobody will relish taking on a side that is forging an identity if upsetting the big guns, be it on the pitch or in the transfer market.

For another season, at the very least, Ajax are here to stay.

Related: Ajax