Ghana youth star Mohammed Kudus received a standing ovation on Wednesday night when he returned to Denmark to bid farewell top-flight side Nordsjaelland.
The 19-year-old returned to the Farum-based side to watch their final home game of the season against Aarhus just five days after joining Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam.
The punters have odds already out for the Ghanaian to help Ajax win more titles from next season while there is no deposit bonus casino by other bettors.
He was not allowed to play in Wednesday’s match because his contract with the Danish side officially ended last week when he signed a five-year contract to move to Holland.
Kudus was returning to the city to his final goodbye to his former team-mates, staff and supporters of the ambitious Danish side but Nordsjaelland planned an elaborate sending off.
The midfielder, who once bossed the Farum pitch, was presented with a huge bouquet of flowers while supporters at the match gave the youngster a standing ovation.
“Grateful for the development from the ground up to this memorable day,” wrote the youngster who will wear the No 20 jersey at the Amsterdam club from next season.
“I leave with footprints and fond memories at heart. I will keep cheering FCN from Amsterdam because a Lion & Tiger are big cat family but not when I play against you. We roar together,” he added in reference to his own Lion nickname.
The teenager is leaving the Danish side after spending two seasons and scoring 14 goals in 57 appearances following his move from Ghanaian academy Right to Dream.
Nordsjaelland sporting director Jan Laursen is delighted Kudus chose the path to ensure his continuous development in the game despite interest from several top sides in Europe.
English sides Tottenham and Everton as well as Liverpool were all linked to the talented player while German clubs Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Gladbach were also reported to be interested.
Italian clubs Sampdoria and Inter Milan as well as French giants Marseille and Lyon were all linked to the Ghanaian youngster but Ajax swooped for the midfielder for $10m.
Laursen is especially proud of the sale of Kudus, at a time when the coronavirus, according to the sports director, has affected the transfer window.
“In a very quiet transfer time, it has been a hallmark of the good work being done at the academies in Ghana and Farum,” says the Nordsjaelland sports director.
Kudus received his football education at the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana, while Damsgaard is a product of the club's Academy in Farum and has also signed for a bigger club by joining Italian side Sampdoria.
“It is fantastic that two from their respective academies can ensure that money comes back into the system.
“Every time we generate money through sales, something comes in, and then we can continue to invest in the set-ups we have.”
Jan Laursen will not go into detail about the sale of Kudus, but says that the deal has been good on all fronts.