Ajax said they have received an apology from Real Madrid
for their behaviour during negotiations prior to the signing of
midfielder Wesley Sneijder. On Saturday night I received a message
... that they would like to reopen the negotiations, Ajax technical
director Martin Van Geel was quoted as saying on Dutch TV programme
Studio Voetbal on Sunday. "The club apologised for their behaviour
and on Sunday both clubs agreed a transfer fee of 27 million
euros."
Real Madrid made an official offer of 24 million euros last
Thursday for the 23-year-old Dutch international and Ajax reduced
their demand from 30 million to 27 million euros a day later. On
Friday Madrid's technical director Pedrag Mijatovic gave Ajax a
three-hour ultimatum to accept 24 million euros for Sneijder but
Ajax responded by saying they would not be held to ransom. "You
can't treat people like that," Ajax managing director Maarten
Fontein was quoted as saying in Spanish daily El Pais on Monday.
"It was intolerable. When we said we wouldn't talk unless it was
carried out in an polite manner they got up and left."
According to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Real told Van Geel
that they had targeted another player. "Therefore I hoped on
Saturday that they would have signed another offensive midfielder,
but that news didn't come," Van Geel was quoted as saying.
However, Real returned to the negotiating table after Saturday's
1-0 defeat to Sevilla in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup and
upped their offer to 27 million euros. "I'm glad we did not accept
the first offer," said Van Geel.
