Ajax has confirmed the arrival of Joeri Heerkens on Monday. The nineteen-year-old goalkeeper, who became European champion with the Netherlands under 19 this summer, comes from the Czech top club Sparta Prague.
The talented keeper, who has been brought in for the future, has signed for five years in Amsterdam. He takes the place of reserve keeper Jay Gorter, who signed a contract in Cyprus last week. Heerkens was still under contract in the Czech Republic until mid-2027.
Ajax also signed the Czech Vítezslav Jaros this transfer summer for the upcoming season. He is on loan from Liverpool. Remko Pasveer extended his expiring contract in the Johan Cruijff ArenA by one year.
The arrival of Heerkens had been in the air for some time. On Monday, he said goodbye to the country where he was born in 2006. “The country where I took my first steps on the football field, the first steps towards my dream. You created a person who is ready to conquer the world and make his dreams come true. Thank you, Czech Republic,” Heerkens wrote on his own social media.
Technical director Alex Kroes was pleased that Heerkens had chosen Ajax. “Joeri is a talented young keeper with everything you need in that position: height, reflexes, composure, focus and the right mentality. We are confident that in time he can grow into the position of first keeper.”
Heerkens became European champion with the Netherlands under 19 last season by defeating top favorite Spain in the final. Never before had the Dutch youth team won the title.