Share

Van der Sar: Sanchez move to Spurs too soon

Cape Town - While Jan Vertonghen is looking forward to seeing how Davinson Sanchez fares in the Premier League, Edwin van der Sar felt he should have stayed with Ajax this season.

Tottenham Hotspur signed the 21-year-old Colombian centre back for an initial £28 million that could rise to a club record £42 million.

He is expected to compete with Vertonghen for a place in the Spurs side and another former Ajax player, Toby Alderweireld.

Speaking to the club's official website, Vertonghen said: "I know people who know him and they are all very positive. They rate him very highly.

"It's always nice to have new players in the squad and we're looking forward to seeing him training. It will mean more competition for places but that's what football is all about.

"Obviously he's coming from Ajax so we have something in common, along with Christian (Eriksen) and Toby (Alderweireld), who also played for them in the past.

"I'd say that the Premier League is more physical than the Dutch league, but Sanchez looks like he has that physicality, so I'm sure he'll do well here."

Van der Sar, Ajax chief executive, meanwhile, explained that Sanchez would have benefited from more time in Holland.

"I think with [Davinson] Sanchez one year was too early. He should have stayed two or three years.

"But sometimes with the financial power that is looming over us in the bigger leagues it's quite difficult for even a big club like Ajax coming from a small league to resist certain transfers."

He added: "We know at a certain point that this league is not strong enough so after a few years, hopefully if you play three, four or five years for the club and give us two or three championships and success in Europe then [in an] ideal world it is the right step to go forward."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE