Ajax may be able to sign Steven Bergwijn from Tottenham Hotspur in a cut-price deal, according to Dutch journalist Henk Spaan (via Voetbal Primeur).

The lowdown

The Netherlands winger had scored or set up 15 goals in 16 league outings for Ajax's rivals PSV Eindhoven when Spurs snapped him up for £27m in January 2020.

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However, since the start of last season, the 24-year-old has been limited to 16 Premier League starts; and with his Spurs career failing to ignite, his Transfermarkt value has slipped to £19.8m. His 60 appearances for the club have yielded a paltry return of four goals, one of which came on his debut.

Ajax will hope that the possibility of playing Champions League football can lure Bergwijn back to his homeland. They are one of only three teams, along with Liverpool and Bayern Munich, who boast a perfect record after five matchdays, and their place in the Round of 16 is secured.

The latest

Spaan explained (via Voetbal Primeur) that Antonio Conte's ego could have cost Spurs a healthy fee for Bergwijn. He is confident that Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars can strike a deal to take the winger on loan with a cheap option to buy.

"The ego of a trainer like Conte is far too big to take into account the market value of a player," the journalist said.

"That is why it is an economical option for Overmars to rent Bergwijn first and then buy him for relatively next to nothing."

The verdict

Bergwijn thrived in the Eredivisie, and with Ajax recently ranked as the ninth-best team in Europe, he may not view it as too much of a backwards step from Tottenham.

Some will likely be sad to see him go, including former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson, who described him as a 'top player' with unique 'power, pace and tenacity'.

If Spurs do agree to a loan, perhaps they should rule out a permanent option. If the 24-year-old hits his stride in Amsterdam, his value could increase considerably, or Conte could be persuaded to give him another chance to prove that the north Londoners were right to sign him nearly two years ago.

In other news, this Spurs defender may also be headed for the exit door