Shocking twist: Out-of-favour Owen Wijndal to stay at Ajax as move collapses

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wijndal-owen/W6Ifgtxs/"]Wijndal[/a], 26, joined [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ajax/8UOvIwnb/"]Ajax[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/az-alkmaar/2RxOow1i/"]AZ[/a] for €10 million in 2022 and was bought to be the club's primary left-back for years to come after an impressive spell in Alkmaar.[/p][p]The defender hasn't met expectations in Amsterdam and never fully broke into the starting XI, playing only 77 games in four years, while also spending a year on loan at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/antwerp/rVpPxw8H/"]Royal Antwerp[/a] in the 2022-23 season.[/p][image alt="Owen Wijndal's career statistics" id="34dc4d32-544d-4c83-b9d6-e404426f5093" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8ec99dab-7fe5-4b75-8ade-f2e32a0c6709" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]According to [a href="https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/wijndal-vertrekt-na-vier-jaar-bij-ajax"][i][b]Voetbal International[/b][/i][/a], Ajax were finally set to wave Wijndal goodbye, with his contract about to be terminated. The left-back wasn't present at Wednesday's practice and has already said goodbye to his teammates, VI reported on Wednesday afternoon.[/p][p]A shocking turn in the tale followed soon after, with [a href="https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/voetbal/ajax-verdediger-owen-wijndal-ziet-transfer-op-laatste-moment-in-rook-opgaan/160881215.html"][i][b]De Telegraaf[/b][/i][/a]'s Mike Verweij reporting that Wijndal will stay at Ajax after a move collapsed at the last minute. An unnamed club from a league outside the top 5 countries pulled the plug after preferring another option. [/p][embed guid="2317b34a-b292-4eb9-9857-798a9ec1fbab" url="https://x.com/Inside_020/status/2095173585253875983?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Wijndal has been primed to leave Ajax for longer, with the club management trying to ship the left-back off in several previous transfer windows. After the arrival of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torrents-jofre/S4LQUJ92/"]Jofre Torrents[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a], Wijndal has become the third-choice left-back, leaving him with no prospect of a future at Ajax.[/p][p]Wijndal has a contract with Ajax until 2027. It is not known where Wijndal will continue his career.[/p][infobox id="a26dc69f-5d29-48c9-8d0f-786c18f76a2b" /]