N.E.C. Nijmegen Advances on Ajax Defender Ahmetcan Kaplan
Eredivisie club NEC Nijmegen is seeking to acquire center-back Ahmetcan Kaplan, 23, from Ajax as part of its ongoing squad rebuilding phase. According to local broadcaster Omroep Gelderland, the club has renewed discussions with Ajax for Kaplan's permanent transfer.
Last season, Kaplan proved crucial with NEC Nijmegen while on loan at De Goffert under head coach Dick Schreuder. Despite earlier talks being halted due to a high asking price from Ajax in this summer’s window, NEC has now opened new negotiations to permanently add the left-footed defender.
At present, Kaplan is contracted until mid-2027 with Ajax but faces limited opportunities there due to competition from other defenders like Daley Blind, Youri Baas, and Dies Janse. Prior to NEC's renewed interest, Trabzonspor made a six million euros offer plus bonuses which were declined by Kaplan who was reluctant to return to Turkey.
Should the deal go through, it will mark the second major signing for N.E.C. Nijmegen following their principle agreement with Serbian forward Dusan Tadic. Tadic is set to undergo medical exams soon before becoming a permanent part of the team.
Participation and Reactions
The club and its fans are closely monitoring developments as N.E.C. Nijmegen strives to bolster their defense through this potential acquisition.
