AFII
25-03-08, 02:50 PM
Heintga Agrees To Join Atlético
John Heitinga could not hide his excitement after agreeing terms to complete a summer transfer from Ajax to Atlético de Madrid that will be worth around €10m.
The Dutch international defender will put pen-to-paper on a five-year deal with Los Colchoneros after a protracted chase by the Spanish outfit finally saw them land their man.
"I am trembling with joy," Heitinga told De Telegraaf. "This is a beautiful new phase in my career.
"I will miss Ajax enormously. This is my second home and I hope, and expect, that everyone will wish me luck with this transfer.
"I have said to myself that if Ajax want me, I will end my career here in the future."
Ajax will be sad to see the club's youth team product leave, but technical director Martin van Geel understood the player's desire to try a new challenge.
"It is a huge pity," he said. "We have done everything we could but it is understandable that a guy who plays for Ajax for 17 years wants to look somewhere else.
"We have worked very hard over the last few months to try to get Heitinga to stay but it was not to be."
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=634488
John Heitinga could not hide his excitement after agreeing terms to complete a summer transfer from Ajax to Atlético de Madrid that will be worth around €10m.
The Dutch international defender will put pen-to-paper on a five-year deal with Los Colchoneros after a protracted chase by the Spanish outfit finally saw them land their man.
"I am trembling with joy," Heitinga told De Telegraaf. "This is a beautiful new phase in my career.
"I will miss Ajax enormously. This is my second home and I hope, and expect, that everyone will wish me luck with this transfer.
"I have said to myself that if Ajax want me, I will end my career here in the future."
Ajax will be sad to see the club's youth team product leave, but technical director Martin van Geel understood the player's desire to try a new challenge.
"It is a huge pity," he said. "We have done everything we could but it is understandable that a guy who plays for Ajax for 17 years wants to look somewhere else.
"We have worked very hard over the last few months to try to get Heitinga to stay but it was not to be."
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=634488