Ajax and FC Groningen agree on terms; transfer of Bruno Silva to Ajax is complete
22 January: A rerun of the 'Suárez soap opera' seemed in the making, but in the end no KNVB arbitration was required. Ajax and FC Groningen have peacefully agreed on the transfer of Uruguayan right fullback Bruno Silva to the Amsterdam club. Ajax did not reveal the transfer fee, but Groningen did: 3,75 million euros. Luis Suárez's countryman will pen a 4.5 season contract, committing to Ajax until 30 June 2012.
Ajax's technical director, Martin van Geel, and FC Groningen director Hans Nijland did not exatly become good friends during the 'Suárez case', but this time the tone was very different. "Our talks with Ajax were very pleasant," said Nijland in a statement on FC Groningen.nl. "Ajax have been very correct."
That's good to know. The fact that the whole affair still gave FC Groningen a "bitter taste" has everything to do with the way Silva played this game. Ajax contacted Groningen, Groningen told Ajax that they were not going to sell, after which Silva almost immediately announced that he would never play for FC Groningen again. The Uruguayan trained individually this week, separate from the group. Groningen coach Ron Jans, last weekend: "The club can sell him, for all I care. I don't wish to work with players who don't want to play for the club anymore. I used to have a fine relationship with Bruno, but that's over."
The professional career of Bruno Silva Barone (born Cerro Largo, Uruguay, 29 March 1980) started at Danubio in his native country of Uruguay. Silva spent more than five seasons at the club (2000-2005), for which he had 106 league appearances (8 goals). He was briefly loaned out to Russia's FK Rostselmash Rostov in 2004, but his spell over there was unfortunate. He returned to Danubio after only 4 matches in the Russian league – and he didn't regret it: with Danubio he clinched the Uruguayan championship of 2004.
Silva also got to make his début for Uruguay's national team. He currently has three caps to his name. In the summer of 2005 Bruno Silva figured it as time for a move to Europe, and he committed to FC Groningen. In two and a half seasons he had 83 Eredivisie appearances for the 'Pride of the North' in which he scored 2 goals. He impressed as a right fullback with a tremendous forward drive.
Bruno Silva has been assigned the jersey with the number 3, which was worn by Jaap Stam in the first months of the campaign. However, Silva must not be regarded as Stam's successor. He is a right fullback and his main competitors for a starting slot are likely to be George Ogararu and Jurgen Colin.
"It's fantastic for me to play for this club," Silva told Ajax.nl after having penned his contract. "Ajax is a big club with an enormous reputation." The Uruguayan is also enthusiastic about the fact that he will be re-united with Luis Suárez. Silva: "I know him very well from my Groningen days, of course. It's very nice that we will be team-mates again."
Technical director Martin van Geel said: "After Jaap Stam's departure and the injuries of Thomas Vermaelen and Gregory van der Wiel we wanted to reinforce the defense. Bruno Silva fits perfectly into the Ajax picture: he's a real Ajax fullback."
Ajax and Bruno Silva still need to take care of some formalities, which means that the player will not yet be eligible for Ajax vs FC Utrecht, on Wednesday. For Vitesse vs Ajax, on Sunday 27 January, he will be. (Menno Pot)
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