Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma is closing in on a switch to Ajax, with the Eredivisie giants poised to hand the free agent a route back into professional football.
The 30-year-old defensive midfielder has been without a club since departing Spurs in June, when he was released at the end of his contract. According to reports, Bissouma has now agreed terms with the Amsterdam club on an initial deal running through the remainder of the season, with an option to extend the arrangement by a further year.
Bissouma is currently in the Dutch capital completing the formalities required to finalise his transfer, putting him on course to resume his career in one of Europe's storied leagues after several months on the sidelines.
The Mali international's move to Ajax will close a chapter that began in 2022, when he arrived at Tottenham in a high-profile transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion. Over his time in north London, Bissouma featured in 111 matches for Spurs, establishing himself as a regular presence in the engine room of the team for large stretches of his tenure.
However, his final year at the club proved far more limited. Bissouma made just 11 appearances during his last season with Tottenham, all of them in the Premier League, as the team endured a difficult campaign that ended with a 17th-place finish — the second year running that Spurs closed the season in that position.
His reduced role was compounded by disciplinary issues. In August 2025, then-Tottenham manager Thomas Frank omitted Bissouma from the squad for the UEFA Super Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain, citing the midfielder's repeated problems with punctuality. That incident appeared to symbolize a broader breakdown in his standing at the club, and it was not long before his Tottenham career came to a close with his release in June.
Despite the turbulent end to his time in England, Bissouma's move to Ajax represents an opportunity for the player to reset his career in a fresh environment. Known for his combative style and ball-winning ability in midfield, he arrives in Amsterdam with the chance to prove he can still perform at a high level after a frustrating stretch on the periphery of first-team football.
For Ajax, the acquisition of a player with Bissouma's pedigree and Premier League experience — signed on a low-risk, short-term basis given his free-agent status — could prove a shrewd piece of business if he can rediscover his best form. The structure of the deal, with the initial contract running only until the end of the season, also gives both parties flexibility: Ajax can assess whether to trigger the option for an additional year based on his performances and fitness in the coming months.
Bissouma's arrival adds further depth and experience to Ajax's midfield options as the club looks to compete on multiple fronts domestically and potentially in European competition. Supporters in Amsterdam will now be watching closely to see whether the midfielder can translate his undoubted talent into consistent performances after a turbulent period in his career.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.