Jordi Cruijff’s ‘military operation’ secures Julian Brandt for Ajax

Ajax completed the signing of German international Julian Brandt on a free transfer, a deal largely credited to technical director Jordi Cruijff, who invoked his father Johan Cruijff’s legacy during negotiations. The 30‑year‑old midfielder joins from Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen to bolster the Amsterdam side’s midfield for three seasons.

Ajax‑watcher Mike Verweij said the acquisition was largely thanks to Jordi Cruijff’s personal involvement. Verweij, who follows the club closely, highlighted the technical director’s role in closing the deal after months of talks.

As technical director, Jordi Cruijff persuaded the Duitse international with a comprehensive pitch that referenced his father, club legend Johan Cruijff. He reminded Brandt that the Amsterdam Arena bears Johan’s name, adding emotional weight to the proposal.

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"Cruijff and Joël Lara (the chief scout of Ajax, editor) have been in talks with Brandt since 1 April," Verweij began on the Kick‑off podcast of De . "Cruijff then said: ‘I do this because of my father, legend of Ajax, Johan Cruijff. The Arena is named after him…’ Brandt became increasingly enthusiastic and started to believe more in Ajax’s story."

Verweij described the signing as a “military operation” by Ajax, noting that clubs usually keep a transfer quiet when no other suitors are involved. He added that Atletico Madrid and several Premier League clubs had shown interest, yet Ajax still secured Brandt.

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The transfer was finalized on Friday evening, seemingly out of the blue. Brandt signed as a free agent for three seasons after spells at Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

The 30‑year‑old is seen as the dream reinforcement for Ajax’s midfield, a position previously linked to Moroccan World Cup standout Azzedine Ounahi. The source text even lists the name as Brandt".