Highly rated Ajax glovesman Maarten Stekelenburg has announced that he
will not sign a contract extension with the Amsterdam side. The
Dutch international's current deal is due to expire in the summer
of 2012.
"I don't expect Ajax to try to offer me a new improved deal. That
really won't happen," Stekelenburg was quoted as saying by
NUsport.
"My current contract goes on for one more year after this season.
Ajax are looking to make some money by selling me and I really want
the club to get a good transfer fee. It's probably the best thing
for Ajax to sell me in the summer of 2011.
"However, I will be the one who decides where I'm going to sign. I
want to move to a bigger league and not to a relegation candidate.
I'd rather stay one more year at Ajax than join a small team in a
big league. I'm not in a rush to leave the club."
The 28-year-old goalie has already been linked with clubs such as
Arsenal and Manchester United and some reports have suggested that
Stekelenburg could be on the move in January. However, the
Haarlem-born goalkeeper has downplayed such rumours.
"I started the season with Ajax and I will stay at the club until
the end of the 2010-11 campaign. I'm confident that we can achieve
great things with this team. We're playing Champions League
football and are fighting for the league title."
