Ajax defender Heitinga agrees to join Atletico Madrid

[Agony]

Ajax defender Heitinga agrees to join Atletico Madrid14:52 GMT, Tue 25 Mar 2008AMSTERDAM, Mar 25 (Reuters) - Ajax Amsterdam's Netherlands defender John Heitinga has agreed to sign a five-year deal with Atletico Madrid, he told Tuesday's De Telegraaf newspaper."I'm thrilled. This is a fantastic next step in my career and I will miss Ajax unbelievably," he was quoted as saying.The 24-year-old international said he had reached an agreement to join the Primera Liga side but the clubs had yet to discuss payment terms for the transfer fee.Heitinga has a clause in his contract stating that the maximum fee Ajax can demand is 10 million euros ($15.58 million) and the defender said Atletico would pay that sum.Heitinga, who has 32 caps, made his Ajax debut aged 17 in 2001 after coming through their youth system."It is a pity, but also understandable, that a player who has played for Ajax for 17 years wants to play somewhere else," Ajax technical director Martin van Geel told De Telegraaf."We have tried for months to keep him in Amsterdam. Most times players leave Ajax just when they have reached their best, just like Wesley Sneijder last year."Netherlands midfielder Sneijder joined Spanish champions Real Madrid for 27 million euros last August.http://football.uk.reuters.com/european/news/L25484325.php

[Guest haze-e]

£7million GBP is it??Good price for a good defender.

[HangTheDJ]

He's 24!!time flies.

[Taurus]

he deserves it

[Guest Sho Case]

about time they bought some defendershes alright i suppose

[n/a]

hes alright i suppose

[Mister Man]

quality player..he was at ajax for 17 years stillare ajax in debt? why do they always sell their good players

[Guest Robin_Van_PersG]

decent player, but theres a distict lack of up and coming quality dutch defenders. Rate that donk guy tho.

[Young £]

guess we aint getting him no more..At Madrid assembling that champs league squad

[H.Y.D.S.M.S]

About time he left!

[FamilyTree]

he looks like hes had some next face-grapheddecent defender though, will be good 2 see how does in la liga

[TF S4DK]

quality player..he was at ajax for 17 years stillare ajax in debt? why do they always sell their good players

Nope far from it, just less revenue & prestige in Dutch football and because of this the clubs so can't compete with big foreign club wages appeal...

[BATTY BOY BUM BANDIT]

Meh.Hes better than Fabiano Eller I know that for sure.