Ajax initiate talks with Atlanta United for Thiago Almada

Eredivisie giants Ajax have expressed interest in Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada, with sources confirming to 90min that talks between the two parties are already underway.

The Dutch team would consider Almada as a replacement for Mohammed Kudus, who recently agreed to join West Ham on a £38m deal. But no concrete bid has been presented yet.

Atlanta United will not sell the player easily, after previously expressing little to no interest in moving on from the Argentine figure when European teams previously inquired. He remains an integral part of the team’s success, managing 14 goals and 23 assists in 51 games since joining in 2022 from Velez Sarsfield for a league-record incoming transfer fee north of $16m.

Additionally, selling Almada at this point in time would leave the Eastern Conference team vulnerable. Atlanta cannot pick up a replacement until the Major League Soccer primary transfer window opens in December, forcing head coach Gonzalo Pineda to navigate the remaining three months of the 2023 campaign without a key midfielder.

But a record-breaking fee could convince the Five Stripes to sell. In January 2019, Atlanta reluctantly sold Miguel Almiron to Newcastle for a whopping league-record fee of $29m (£23m) and history could repeat itself.

When asked in January about a potential move abroad, Almada was not opposed to any situation.

"Right now I am focused on Atlanta United, but when an offer is presented I will talk to my family and decide what is best for me in that situation," he said exclusively to 90min.

READ MORE FROM 90MIN'S TALKING TRANSFERS TEAM