Ajax fail in late bid to sign Kamaldeen Sulemana

Ajax's hopes of signing Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana on loan have been dashed after FIFA rejected their request, citing late paperwork submission. 

According to Dutch outlet *De Telegraaf*, the Amsterdam club had aimed to bring the Ghanaian forward in as a replacement for Steven Bergwijn, who recently departed for Al-Ittihad. However, the deal fell through due to administrative delays.

Ajax believed they had met the transfer deadline and were confident of securing Sulemana on a season-long loan with an option to buy. Despite their optimism, FIFA ruled that the necessary documents were submitted too late, preventing the move from being finalized.

The failed transfer leaves Ajax with a major gap on the wing. In addition to Bergwijn's exit, Portuguese winger Carlos Forbs also left for Wolves on deadline day, leaving the club with only one left-winger, Mika Godts. Ajax had hoped Sulemana would fill this void as part of a larger squad rebuild led by the club's director of football, Alex Kroes.

The club's management had been overseeing a significant overhaul, selling ten players for a combined €57 million while bringing in three new signings. Sulemana’s arrival was seen as a key part of their rebuilding strategy, but the late administrative hiccup has now left Ajax scrambling to fill the gap.

Despite Ajax’s insistence that they met the transfer deadline, FIFA’s decision has dashed their immediate hopes of strengthening their squad with the Ghanaian winger.