Ajax's summer transfer window has seen the club sign eleven new players, with eight of them being free transfers or on loan. This approach, as stated by Cruijff, is a risk-minimizing strategy, allowing the club to be flexible and have a year to assess the performances of the new signings. This is a departure from the previous policy of former technical director Alex Kroes, who aimed to keep player salaries under €2.5 million per year.
The signing of Marcos Leonardo is a notable example of this new approach. Leonardo earned a top salary in Saudi Arabia before joining Ajax, and his contract will cost the club €4 million per year, in addition to his salary. This is a significant increase from the previous policy, but experts believe that Cruijff has taken a pragmatic approach to the club's finances. Ajax has also released several players who had transfer fees attached to them, such as Chuba Akpom, Ahmetcan Kaplan, and Sivert Mannsverk, which has created financial space for the club.
According to Jos Berden, who has been studying Ajax's finances for years, it appears that Cruijff has prioritised spending on player salaries over transfer fees. This approach has been seen as a smart move by Berden, who believes that Cruijff has taken a pragmatic approach to the club's finances.