Serbia midfielder Dusan Tadic joining Ajax from Southampton
AMSTERDAM (AP) Hours before playing for Serbia in a pivotal World Cup match against Brazil, attacking midfielder Dusan Tadic had his move from Southampton to Ajax announced by both clubs.
Ajax said Wednesday that Tadic would join the club on July 1 on a four-year contract for an initial fee of 11.4 million euros ($13.2 million). After Serbia's World Cup campaign ended with the 2-0 loss to Brazil, Tadic can now travel to the Netherlands to finalize his personal terms.
Tadic said he had been told that Ajax's management would sign other high-profile players as it seeks a first Dutch league title since 2014.
''They have good vision, they understand football very well. They want to put Ajax where Ajax deserves to be, in the Champions League, and to win titles,'' he said after playing for Serbia against Brazil in Moscow.
Tadic spent four years at Southampton after joining from FC Twente. ''I have great memories,'' he said. ''A lot of people, they didn't believe, but I showed them different and I'm proud of what I did with Southampton. It was a beautiful time.''
He played in all three of Serbia's group games at the World Cup.