Youri Baas now looks set to stay in the Netherlands. Ajax and FC Porto have called off talks over a move for the centre-back, Algemeen Dagblad reported on Monday.
Both clubs discussed various deal structures until late on Sunday evening, but none gave Ajax the solution they wanted. Porto then pulled the plug on negotiations.
Those talks left Baas on the bench against Telstar on Sunday. “I don’t know what is going to happen. He may leave Ajax, but as far as I am concerned, he stays. Youri has Ajax DNA,” coach Míchel said after the 0-4 win.
Baas will not be joining Porto, who are managed by former Ajax coach Francesco Farioli, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s interest has also cooled. Sources close to the defender believe a move in the final days of the transfer window is now out of the question.
Last week, it became clear Baas could leave Ajax if the right offer came in. The 23-year-old defender has played a smaller role this season than in the previous two campaigns, when he was one of Ajax’s mainstays.
Across Europe, coach Míchel Sánchez has gone with Daley Blind every time. The progress of Dies Janse has also shaped Baas’s position. Ajax regard Janse, who started against Telstar on Sunday, as a major talent.
Baas is under contract at Ajax until mid-2028. The defender has not yet responded to the failed talks with Porto.