FORMER Arsenal transfer chief Sven Mislintat is reportedly under investigation after buying a player through an agency that has a stake in his private firm.
The German was appointed as Ajax’s director of football in April and penned a contract until 2026.
Ajax have launched an investigation into Sven MislintatCredit: Getty
The ex-Arsenal chief, pictured with Arsene Wenger back in 2018, joined Ajax in AprilCredit: Getty
The 50-year-old was previously head of scouting at Borussia Dortmund from 2006 to 2017 before heading to the Premier League to join Arsenal.
He spent two years as head of recruitment at the Emirates before returning to the Bundesliga to become sporting director at Stuttgart.
Mislintat left there in November 2022 and remained out of work until joining the Dutch giants.
However, now less than six months into that job, Ajax have allegedly “launched an investigation regarding a potential conflict of interest” involving the chief and a recent player’s transfer arrival that was “facilitated by a German agency that has stakes in Mislintat’s private company”.
The NL Times broke the news regarding an investigation by NOS that was published today.
They claim that the situation is with regards to a transaction made on June 26 where agent agency AKA Global acquired shares in Mislintat’s company Matchmetrics,which is a commercial data system for scouting players.
The ex-Gunners employee has also recently become the largest shareholder of that business with 35 percent.
This report says that the “established business relationship between AKA Global and Mislintat surfaced during the recent transfer season” and that they “successfully negotiated the transfer of left-back Borna Sosa to Ajax in the final hours of the window for an €8m fee”.
Ajax have confirmed that they were aware of Mislintat’s shares in Matchmetrics when he got the job and that they have contractual agreements regarding this.
But the four-time European champions did not know until yesterday of the agent agency’s shares in Mislintat’s company.
The Amsterdam giants have now confirmed an investigation is underway as this goes against the club’s corporate governance statement that prohibits directors from making decisions where they have a conflict of interest.
A club statement said: “Ajax is of course looking into this further and is being assisted by external advisors.
“Sven is providing full cooperation, including sharing all relevant documents.”
Trouble has been brewing at Ajax both on and off the pitch this term.
They have made their worst start to a season since 1965 while tensions have been mounting between Mislintat and boss Maurice Steijn over this summer’s transfer signings.
Sun Sport have approached Mislintat for comment.