- Daley Blind left Ajax on December 27 after a four-year stint at the Dutch giants
- Blind, a former Manchester United defender was highly expected to join Belgium side Royal Antwerp
- The Netherlands international has, however, make a shock move for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich
After being let go by Ajax, Netherlands defender Daley Blind made an unexpected move to Bayern Munich.
The Netherlands defender, who had been strongly connected with Royal Antwerp, leaped at the opportunity to sign with Bundesliga champions Bayern.
The 32-year-old has agreed to a six-month contract with the Bavarian giants, adding them to his illustrious list of organizations. Blind previously spent four years with Manchester United, which ended in 2018.
“We’re delighted that Daley is joining our team. Daley is a versatile defender, capable of playing on the left or in the centre. He has great international experience and leadership qualities. I’m sure he’ll help us,” sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said.
Netherlands defender Daley Blind has joined Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich on a six-month contract after leaving Ajax. | PHOTO: Bayern Munich fc |
Blind travelled to Germany on Thursday before undergoing a medical with Bayern. He has an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, a device similar to a pacemaker, after being diagnosed in December 2019 with a heart condition.
That proved to be no barrier to his signing, and Blind is now set to play as Julian Nagelsmann’s team competes for national and international honors.
Speaking on his transfer, Blind confirmed fighting for such trophies was a key factor in his decision: “I can hardly wait to play here. We’ve got the most important part of the season coming up, where it’s about titles – and a club like Bayern can win every trophy.
“The hunger for titles here at the club was key in my decision. I hope I can bring my experience to help the team. I’ll give everything for Bayern Munich.”
Daley Blind joined Ajax in 2018 for a second spell after a four-year stint at Manchester United and will now play for Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. | PHOTO: Planet Sport |
They are in first place in the Bundesliga with a four-point advantage over Freiburg after 15 games, but they also have a difficult matchup against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League’s round of 16.
During the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign in Qatar, Blind scored, contributing to a 3-1 victory over the United States in the round of 16.
He currently has 99 caps for his nation and will be attempting to get 100 in the early stages of Ronald Koeman’s second stint as manager.
Almost the course of two stints at Ajax, he played in over 300 games and won the Eredivisie seven times; only Johan Cruyff and Sjaak Swart, who each won eight league championships with the Amsterdam giants, earned more league titles.
He was formally released by the Dutch champions on December 27, with Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar saying at the time: “I hope he can find another club to end his successful career with.”
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