De Boer slams Ajax striker: three kilos must be shed

In the buzzing studio of , former Ajax star Ronald de Boer opened his mouth as the final whistle blew on Ajax’s 3-1 triumph over Ierse Shelbourne in the third qualifying round of the Conference League. The atmosphere was electric, yet De Boer’s tone turned sharply critical as he turned his focus to the Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo.

De Boer was spijkerhard in his oordeel over Marcos Leonardo, describing the striker’s performance as far from acceptable. Volgens de oud-Ajacied, the former Ajax player, the Braziliaan is totaal niet fit and far from the standard expected at the club.

He added that Leonardo must lose multiple kilos – at least three – to reach the required level. "Hij moet zeker drie kilo afvallen, minstens," De Boer said, insisting that the weight issue is a key factor in the player’s current condition.

The former international highlighted that Leonardo missed three clear chances during the match, calling the missed opportunities "kansen om zeep" and expressing his disappointment. "Hij heeft weer drie kansen om zeep geholpen," he noted, emphasizing the lack of clinical finishing.

After the game, the striker completed a series of sprints, which De Boer observed closely. "Ik zag hem net sprintjes doen en ik denk daarom ook dat hij nog niet helemaal fit is," he explained, linking the sprint performance to the broader fitness concerns.

De Boer also referenced Leonardo’s competition within the squad, naming Tolu Arokodare as a benchmark. He suggested that compared with Arokodare, Leonardo’s physical output falls short, reinforcing the need for improvement.

He quoted Jordi Cruijff, saying "Volgens Jordi Cruijff kan hij het," indicating that there is belief within the club that Leonardo can still develop if he addresses his physical shortcomings.

De Boer remarked that the issue has already been discussed in the club’s corridors, hinting that shedding a few kilos could make a decisive difference. "Het werd ook al in de wandelgangen gezegd en misschien kan die paar kilo wel een verschil maken," he said.

Concluding, De Boer warned that only when Leonardo becomes fit will Ajax witness a completely different player, stressing that the physical aspect must be resolved before any further assessment of his talent can be made.