Maarten Stekelenburg will not sign Ajax extension
Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has revealed that he will not sign a contract extension with the club.
Several big clubs throughout Europe — including Manchester United, who are looking for a replacement for the aging Edwin van der Sar, and Arsenal, who tried to sign a new goalkeeper over the summer — have
been credited with an interest in the hugely talented 28-year-old. As such, he has no interest in extending his stay at Ajax with his contract due to expire in 2012.
According to NUsport, the Holland international said that the best solution for all parties would be for Ajax to sell him next summer as to avoid losing him for nothing.
"I don't expect Ajax to try to offer me a new improved deal. That really won't happen. My current contract goes on for one more year after this season. Ajax are looking to make some money by selling me
and I really want the club to get a good transfer fee. It's probably the best thing for Ajax to sell me in the summer of 2011," he said.
Stekelenburg added that, though he would like to test himself in one of Europe’s bigger leagues, he would not be willing to join a small club and would instead remain with Ajax if a big team do not move in
for him.
'No rush to leave club'
He said that: "However, I will be the one who decides where I'm going to sign. I want to move to a bigger league and not to a relegation candidate. I'd rather stay one more year at Ajax than join a small
team in a big league. I'm not in a rush to leave the club."
Though Stekelenburg has been linked with a move away from Ajax when the transfer window reopens in January, he revealed that was unlikely to happen.
He said that: "I started the season with Ajax and I will stay at the club until the end of the 2010-11 campaign. I'm confident that we can achieve great things with this team."
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