Tottenham agree Bergwijn exit amid surprise claim Man Utd were prepared to blow buyer out of the water

Tottenham have reportedly agreed to sell Steven Bergwijn to Ajax, though a surprise report has claimed Man Utd were willing to bid £9m more than Spurs are receiving.

The Dutch winger, 24, signed from PSV Eindhoven in the winter window of 2020. Tottenham forked out around £26.7m for Bergwijn, though he never truly got to grips with the English game.

Indeed, his current tally stands at just seven goals and six assists in 60 Premier League appearances. Amid an inability to nail down a regular place, talk of a return to the Netherlands was never far away.

Ajax were heavily linked with a swoop in January. A move failed to materialise, though they now look to have landed their man.

That’s according to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf. Their information is cited by the Sun who claim Ajax have agreed to pay £26m for Bergwin’s signature.

The player has reportedly agreed personal terms and will sign a five-year deal running to 2027.

Spurs will recoup virtually the same fee they paid PSV. However, the report surprisingly claims they’ve ignored the chance to make an extra £9m.

It’s stated both Manchester United and Everton ‘had been willing to pay £35m for Bergwijn’. Scuppering their plans was the fact Bergwijn had his heart set on a return to the Netherlands.

United had drawn previous links with Bergwijn thanks in large part to the Dutch connection through Erik ten Hag.

Everton are a more recent name in the frame, though their interest would make sense given they’re now on the hunt for a Richarlison replacement.

Yet if the report is accurate, player power has won out and a move to Ajax has been secured at the expense of an extra £9m in Spurs’ coffers.

Bergwijn a classic transfer warning

Bergwijn serves as another prime example of why buying from a comparatively lesser league is fraught with risk.

The Dutchman was a stand-out star at PSV, as Hakim Ziyech was at Ajax around the same time.

However, like Bergwijn, Ziyech struggled upon moving to England when joining Chelsea.

Ziyech too looks on course to leave with Chelsea closing in on an agreement with AC Milan. Unlike Spurs, the latest reporting suggests Chelsea won’t recoup their initial outlay.

Bargains can be found when buying from the lesser leagues, though Bergwijn and Ziyech are classic examples of the risks clubs take when buying a big fish from a small pond.