Liverpool Out-on-loan Man ‘Slowly Destroying’ Team-mate Insists Legend | OneFootball

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Ajax legend Wesley Sneijder believes that Liverpool loanee James McConnell is ‘slowly destroying’ the development of the club’s midfield starlet Jorthy Mokio.

McConnell followed John Heitinga from Merseyside to Amsterdam in the summer, after a season-long loan deal was agreed between Liverpool and Ajax.

Heitinga was assistant to Arne Slot last season and had a chance to observe McConnell from close quarters before choosing to take him on loan after being appointed manager of Ajax.

Sneijder has taken issue with the way youngsters are being treated at Ajax, claiming they should take a leaf out of one-time national team-mate Robin van Persie and Feyenoord’s book.

The Dutch legend singled out McConnell as one example of a transfer strategy that is blocking the development of their own in Mokio.

Sneijder was quoted as saying by Voetbal Primeur: “Look at Ajax, for example, the midfield…

“You bring in that Englishman, while you’re actually slowly destroying Mokio.

“He’s [Van Persie] simply giving young players a chance, Aymen Sliti played against AZ and Jaden Slory [was also involved].”

Mokio made his debut for Ajax last season as a 16-year-old before racking up eleven appearances in the Eredivisie.

A debut for Belgium in March earlier this year followed, but Mokio’s game time has been limited to 63 minutes in the Eredivisie across four appearances this season.

Ajax’s youth policy is not only a matter of principle and pride, but also a matter of survival for them.

If the academy graduates are not carrying them to domestic and European honours, such as the famous 1995 Champions League title, they are a vital part of Ajax’s budgeting, with their sales funding the club’s ongoing operations.

Sneijder himself is a graduate of Ajax’s academy, which banked the club £35.5m from the sale of Jorrel Hato to Chelsea last summer.

Ajax’s technical director Alex Kroes insisted that McConnell will not stand in the way of Mokio and that he was signed because he brings something the team is lacking.

While Liverpool will be understanding of Ajax’s predicament, they will hope that internal club politics does not hinder the development of their own player in McConnell.