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"It Wasn't Possible..." Noa Lang Opens Up On Ajax Summer Interest
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- "It Wasn't Possible..." Noa Lang Opens Up On Ajax Summer Interest
(REUTERS)
Ajax sold Mika Godts to Paris Saint-Germain during the summer transfer for a transfer fee that could rise to as high as €55 million.
After the Belgian winger's departure, Ajax explored deals for several potential replacements.
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At the top of Ajax's list was reportedly Noa Lang. The Dutch forward moved to Napoli in the summer of 2025 and was loaned out to Galatasaray in the winter transfer window after a disappointing few months in Naples.
Various sources claim that Napoli's asking price for Lang, which was in excess of €20 million, meant Ajax decided not to push ahead with the transfer. In the end, Ajax replaced Godts with Simon Adingra, who joined the Amsterdammers on loan from Sunderland with a €16 million buy option on deadline day.
Lang also attracted interest from Serie A club Atalanta, and Galatasaray also considered re-signing him, but the Turkish giants instead decided to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan.
Lang confirms Ajax's interest
After the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Serbia on Sunday night, Lang spoke to Vandaag Inside , where he confirmed that Ajax were indeed interested in bringing him back to Amsterdam in the summer.
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I spoke with Ajax," Lang confirmed in the interview.
"I would be lying if I said it wasn't the case. It wasn't possible.
"It was concrete. I thought about it, but ultimately it just wasn't possible."
Lang ended up staying at Napoli and has made four appearances in the Serie A so far this season.
Would Lang have been a good signing for Ajax?
Had Ajax signed Lang, they would have replaced Godts with a player of proven quality. Lang proved during his time at PSV Eindhoven that he can produce a high number of goals and assists in the Eredivisie, which is what Godts did for Ajax last season.
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That said, paying more than €20 million for a player of Lang's quality who just had a bad season would also have been a questionable decision by Ajax.
While Godts is more proven than Adingra, the fact that Ajax signed the Ivorian winger on a loan with the option to sign him permanently next summer means that it is a very low-risk signing, with a very high potential upside.
Adingra showed during his time in Belgium at Union St. Gilloise that he had the potential to develop into a wonderful player. In the Premier League, he showed glimpses of that quality but failed to establish himself at either Sunderland or Brighton and Hove Albion .
If he can get back to his best, he can definitely help Ajax push for the league title, and the €16 million buy option is affordable enough that Ajax could sign him permanently next summer, especially if Michel Sanchez's side qualifies for the Champions League.
