Ajax manager Francesco Farioli has shed light on the tumultuous efforts to sign Ghanaian winger Kamaldeen Sulemana in the final hours of the summer transfer window.
Sulemana was set to join Ajax on a season-long loan from Southampton, with an option to buy for approximately 20 million euros.
The transfer fell apart due to the late submission of crucial documents, preventing the deal from being finalized. The situation became more urgent after Steve Bergwijn’s departure to Saudi club Al-Ittihad, but despite strenuous efforts, FIFA rejected the request to complete the transfer past the deadline.
Farioli described the experience as chaotic, saying, “I would have loved to switch off my phone before the deadline, but I couldn’t due to some important calls. We were dealing with financial constraints and lost two players while trying to bring in Kamaldeen [Sulemana]. It was chaotic and frustrating for everyone involved.”
He added, “We can cry about what happened, or we can find a way to move forward.”
Sulemana remains at Southampton, where he has yet to make an appearance this season due to injury.
