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Justin Kluivert Completes Transfer to Roma from Ajax for Initial €17.25M Fee
June 22, 2018
Justin Kluivert has completed his transfer from Ajax to AS Roma, with the Giallorossi paying an initial €17.25 million for his services.
The Serie A club confirmed the move on Twitter:
In an accompanying statement on their website, the Serie A side detailed how the transfer will be funded:
"Roma have paid an initial €17.25 million for Kluivert. The deal also includes a number of performance-related clauses, based on the achievements of both the player and the club, that are worth up to a maximum of €1.5 million.
"In addition, in the event of the player’s future sale Ajax will be eligible to receive 10 per cent of the difference on any transfer fee greater than €25 million—up to a maximum possible payment of €4 million."
As shared by Roma's official Twitter account, fans came out in full force to welcome the Netherlands international:
The 19-year-old was previously linked with Manchester United, while his father, Patrick, told reporters he wanted his son to stay in Amsterdam for now, per Liam Prenderville of the Mirror.
Patrick Kluivert is one of the top strikers in Dutch football history, and his son profiles as a top talent in his own right. Blessed with tons of athleticism and bags of trickery, he played regularly for Ajax in the past season, scoring 10 Eredivisie goals.
He has spent his entire career at Ajax, and like most graduates from their famed academy, he has blossomed early. Kluivert also has a flair for the dramatic on the pitch, leading to plenty of beautiful goals. This hat-trick against Roda JC highlighted his immense potential:
Kluivert is far from a finished product, as consistency was a major issue in the past season. He was even benched at times, with Amin Younes providing steadier production out on the wing.
Roma have taken a patient approach with youngsters of late, doing a good job of developing Cengiz Under and Patrik Schick. Both improved greatly over the course of the 2017-18 season, and the Giallorossi will likely adopt a similar approach with Kluivert.
Kluivert's long-term upside is enormous. If the Italians play their cards right, they may have just locked up a star of the future for a modest fee.