Mario Been brutally critical of Ajax summer signing: 'No added value'

Mario Been is not impressed by the recently signed Sofyan Amrabat yet. According to the ESPN pundit, the midfielder currently offers Ajax "zero added value", with Ajax dropping two points against NEC on Saturday (1-1).

At the Johan Cruijff ArenA, Been saw an Ajax side short on creativity and, in his view, Amrabat certainly will not solve that. "He offered zero added value. Sideways passes, and knocking it back and forth. Anyone can do that."

For matches like this, Ajax need creativity. Players who can beat a man. They did not have them, Been said, alarmed by Ajax's display, even though they still went ahead through Tolu Arokodare after seven minutes.

By contrast, Been is far more positive about Abdellah Ouazane. The winger again got the chance to prove himself to coach Míchel as a substitute. Been does feel, however, that the wide player should be getting far more minutes at Ajax.

"It takes so long before Ouazane comes on. You spend the whole match watching the big names Ajax have signed, but this lad from the club's own academy has more quality in my view," Been said as a message to the Amsterdam club's Spanish coach.

"I would always play him. He can also beat opponents. And that is exactly what is incredibly important in these kinds of matches. If he then has to make the difference in half an hour, that may well be asking too much."

After that, Ouazane showed what he can do. "You can see Ouazane produces a few good actions. But he really needs to be given much more time to show his qualities," Been said.