Kehrer sends out a hopeful signal about his future at Ajax

Thilo Kehrer signed a contract with Ajax on Deadline Day. "That was a first for me. Very exciting, it was different. I'm happy to be here," the German centre-back revealed in an interview with ESPN on Friday.

A day earlier, Kehrer had first heard about Ajax's interest. "Everything happened very quickly: talks with Jordi (Cruyff, ed.), with the coach. After that, the clubs completed it. The next day I was on my way."

Soon after arriving, the summer signing received a message from compatriot Marc-André ter Stegen, who is on loan from FC Barcelona. "I didn't need to ask much. I already knew Ajax very well. I played for Schalke, not far from here. It was all already very clear."

Before committing to the move, Kehrer gave Ajax serious thought. The club's ambition ultimately convinced him. "The most important thing for me is to be competitive and to play for titles, to have the ambition to win trophies and matches. That's possible here. The foundation is there, now we have to make it work."

Arriving from AS Monaco, Kehrer was quickly impressed by his new surroundings. "The scale, the stadium, the atmosphere and the pure football. The club have their own DNA."

Kehrer signed in Amsterdam until mid-2027. Whether he will still be playing for Ajax after that remains unclear. "I don't know yet. We'll see how the season goes, but I'm certainly open to it. There are still many matches until next year. We'll see."

Helping Kehrer settle is the fact he already knows Caio Henrique and Simon Adringa from his time at Monaco. "It makes it easier when you know people. They help you integrate. You already have a connection. It was nice to see them again. I know Marc ter Stegen and Julian Brandt from when I played against them in the Bundesliga and from the German national team."