Dropped Thulani Serero moves towards Ajax exit

29 July 2015 - 02:09 By Mark Gleeson

Thulani Serero's future at Ajax Amsterdam is unclear after being linked with a move to Greece, and being left out of the squad to play in the Uefa Champions League third-round qualifier against Austria's Rapid Vienna on Wednesday night. The Bafana Bafana midfielder has missed much of the pre-season training because of injury. But Dutch media has speculated that the 25-year-old from Soweto is heading out of the club in the coming weeks in the wake of several changes to the Ajax squad.Coach Frank de Boer has said he has too many midfielders and needs to cut some.An ankle injury has kept Serero off the field for several weeks and he has since been told he can look for a new club, even if it is on a loan basis.His agent, Alex Kroes, said yesterday that Ajax had received an offer from PAOK Salonika, the Greek club where former Bafana internationals Bongani Khumalo and Bryce Moon have played.But Kroes also told Dutch media that Serero wanted to wait to see if there was any interest in him from other clubs elsewhere in Europe.Earlier this year Serero was linked with a potential move to AC Milan after impressing in the group phase of the Champions League, in which Ajax played in the same pool as eventual winners Barcelona and Paris St Germain.Instead, new signings Daley Sinkgraven and Nemanja Gudelj are expected to fill Serero's creative role as Ajax begin their Champions League bid in the preliminary round stages.Serero was previously a favourite of De Boer, who valued his energy and hard work in the centre of midfield. But the arrival of Gudelj and Sinkgraven, plus the presence of Dutch international Davy Klaassen and Riechedly Bazoer, has left Serero surplus to requirements.Serero has made 74 starts and scored nine goals for Ajax over the past four seasons.The most treasured goal came in the Champions League when he netted in a shock 2-1 win over Barcelona.He won the Dutch league in each of his first three seasons with the club, missing out only in the last campaign...

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