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Sven Mislintat: After an eventful transfer period in the summer, Ajax Amsterdam is already over

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IMAGO / IMAGO/ANP

Ajax Amsterdam have parted ways with Sven Mislintat with immediate effect after just four months. The German football director no longer has full support in the club, Ajax announced on Sunday. "Various attempts to create a broader base have not led to the desired effect, and this is causing unrest in and around the club. This is also due to the disappointing performances," interim director Jan van Halst was quoted as saying on the club's website.

The announcement of the separation came just hours after the home game against Feyenoord Rotterdam, which had to be abandoned due to serious riots by Ajax fans. The Dutch record champions' start to the season has been unsuccessful, with five points from four games, Ajax is only in 14th place in the Eredivisie. In the summer, around a dozen players were signed for more than 100 million euros, in return, the club also took in 150 million euros through player transfers.

Mislintat's departure, however, is not related to the investigation, which is being conducted by an auditor, the club said in a statement.

Possible conflict of interest in player transfers

Last Wednesday, it became known that there could be a possible conflict of interest in the transfer of Croatian international Borna Sosa from Mislintat's former employer VfB Stuttgart to Ajax. The background to this is Mislintat's involvement in the football data analysis company Matchmetrics. Since the summer, the player consulting agency AKA Global GmbH has also been involved in this company, which recently arranged Sosa's move from VfB to Ajax for a transfer fee of between eight and ten million euros.

In a statement, the Dutch record champions had said that the club was not aware of AKA's involvement in Matchmetrics and that there would be an independent investigation. "As a player signed by Ajax was coached by AKA Global this summer, the club is looking into this further and is being supported by external consultants," it said. Mislintat has told the club that he will cooperate fully, including passing on all relevant documents.

Former Dortmund chief scout Mislintat has been Ajax's director of football affairs since 19 May. Prior to that, he had worked for VfB for around three years. During this time, Sosa also played for VfB. When he moved to Amsterdam, Mislintat's involvement in Matchmetrics was the subject of contract talks. A contractual agreement has also been reached on this.

mrk/dpa/sid