Het Parool has reported that Ajax's business model is under pressure, with the club's technisch directeur Jordi Cruijff taking significant risks with his short-term strategy to bring the team back to the top. Cruijff has brought in several high-profile players, including Julian Brandt and Marc ter Stegen, giving the team a significant quality boost. However, this has put pressure on the club's business model, which is based on training players or attracting them at a low cost and then selling them at a profit.
The influx of high-priced players, such as Marcos Leonardo and Caio Henrique, has also led to increased spending on salaries, transfer fees, and bonuses. Cruijff's strategy is taking significant risks, as Het Parool warns that if Ajax fails to qualify for the Champions League, the club will be financially and ideologically further from its goal. This could lead to Cruijff's departure, along with the Spanish coaches he has brought in, leaving the technical side of Ajax in disarray.
Cruijff has brought 415 international matches and 325 Champions League matches to the Ajax team, and the club has received a significant quality boost with relatively little money spent on transfers. However, the outcome of this season will determine the future of Ajax's business model, with the club's financial and ideological situation severely impacted if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.