It's an incredible quack!
Landed in early January at Ajax Amsterdam from West Ham for the sum of 22.5 million euros, Sébastien Haller was the flagship recruit of the Dutch club.
A status that he quickly confirmed.
The 26-year-old Franco-Ivorian striker was indeed quickly effective and even indispensable in his new colors with 2 goals and 4 assists in 6 Eredivisie matches, the Dutch Championship.
Unfortunately the native of Ris-Orangis, passed through Brétigny in the Paris region and then Auxerre, could well miss the European campaign of his club.
The former French youth international (from U17s to hopes) turned Ivorian international (2 caps) is not on the list of eligible players for the knockout phase of the Europa League.
While the qualifiers for the round of 16 were allowed to register three new players in their A list, Haller is absent in that of Ajax, Lille's next opponent on February 18 and 25.
"We will work with the KNVB
(Editor's note: the Dutch federation)
and UEFA to understand where things have gone wrong," a club spokesperson told the NU site.
But the responsibilities would rather be sought internally.
According to our information, the player is in fact the victim of an incredible administrative error on the part of his club who simply forgot to put him on the list ... If Ajax Amsterdam has taken steps to "try to catch up", it is not at all certain that this will succeed.
Sébastien Haller has taken a big hit to morale according to those around him.