'It's an ambitious project': Marcos Leonardo comments on surprise Ajax move

Marcos Leonardo moved from Saudi side Al Hilal to Ajax for a transfer fee "just under €20 million," as communicated by the Amsterdam outfit, and signed a five-year contract in the Netherlands.

The Brazilian has become the fifth-most expensive player in Ajax history and is the first big splash of Jordi Cruyff's tenure as technical director.

"It's an ambitious project," Marcos Leonardo said in his first interview with the club.

"I was very happy when I got the offer and the chance to come play for Ajax. More Brazilians have played here, and they were all happy at Ajax. Other top players have played here too, like Luis Suarez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic - they're players I look up to and who have made it here."

Leonardo, 23, joined Al Hilal from Benfica in 2024 for a fee of €40 million and scored 48 times in 82 games for the Saudi record champions.

The Brazilian striker joins Ajax off the back of their worst league finish since 1962. The Amsterdam giants finished fifth in the Dutch Eredivisie with 55 points and just about managed to qualify for the UEFA Conference League qualifiers after beating FC Groningen and FC Utrecht in the play-offs.

"We will bring the fans a lot of joy and hopefully win the league. God willing, beautiful things are about to happen."

Ajax have been interested in Marcos Leonardo for longer, as Jordi Cruyff revealed in the club's initial statement. The Itapetinga native remembered the first time the Dutch record champions came knocking.

"My agent spoke with me, but we couldn't reach an agreement. This was the moment for me to come to Ajax."

Leonardo will compete for the starting spot with Danish striker Kasper Dolberg, who is rumoured to leave Ajax a year after returning to Amsterdam.

It gives Leonardo the chance to get going early, with Ajax's season starting on Thursday, July 23rd, with a UEFA Conference League qualifying match against FK Vojvodina Novi Sad from Serbia.