# 2015–16 AFC Ajax season

The 2015–16 AFC Ajax season saw the club participate in the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. The first training took place on 6 July 2015 while the traditional AFC Ajax Open Day was held on 20 July.

## Pre-season

The first training for the 2015–16 season was held on 6 June 2015. In preparation for the new season, Ajax organized a training stage in Neustift, Austria. The squad, with manager Frank de Boer, remained there from 15 to 24 June. During this training stage, a friendly match was played against Dynamo Moscow, whereupon the club then traveled back to the Netherlands, residing at De Lutte for additional training. The squad stayed there from 30 June to 5 July, when further friendly matches were played against Nordsjælland, Panathinaikos and VfL Wolfsburg. Traveling to France, a further friendly match was played against Saint-Étienne.

## Player statistics

Appearances for competitive matches only
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Eredivisie | Eredivisie | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League | UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League | KNVB Cup 2015 Johan Cruyff Shield | KNVB Cup 2015 Johan Cruyff Shield |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | NED | Jasper Cillessen | 39 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | NED | Ricardo van Rhijn | 14 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | NED | Joël Veltman | 37 | 2 | 32 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | NED | Mike van der Hoorn | 14 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | NED | Riechedly Bazoer | 32 | 5 | 28 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | DEN | Viktor Fischer | 34 | 9 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | NED | Daley Sinkgraven | 20 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | POL | Arkadiusz Milik | 36 | 22 | 29 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | NED | Davy Klaassen | 37 | 15 | 29 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | GER | Amin Younes | 31 | 6 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | DEN | Nicolai Boilesen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | NED | Richairo Zivkovic | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | DEN | Lasse Schöne | 30 | 5 | 24 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | NED | Anwar El Ghazi | 33 | 11 | 26 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | NED | Jaïro Riedewald | 29 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | NED | Kenny Tete | 27 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | GK | CMR | André Onana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | RSA | Thulani Serero | 15 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | NED | Nick Viergever | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | SRB | Nemanja Gudelj | 40 | 5 | 32 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | NED | Sam Hendriks | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | NED | Donny van de Beek | 10 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | CRO | Robert Murić | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | CZE | Václav Černý | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | NED | Diederik Boer | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | NED | Abdelhak Nouri | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | NED | Mitchell Dijks | 35 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | NED | Mauro Savastano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | DEN | Kasper Dolberg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | GK | NED | Norbert Alblas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | DF | NED | Leeroy Owusu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | DF | NED | Damian van Bruggen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
As of 7 March 2016

### 2015–16 selection by nationality

| Nationality | | | | | | | | | | | | Total Players |
| Current squad selection | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 24 |
| Youth/reserves squad in AFC Ajax selection | 25 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 32 |
| Players out on loan | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |

## Team statistics
### Eredivisie standings 2015–16

| Current standing | Matches played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Yellow cards | Red cards |
| 2nd | 34 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 82 | 81 | 21 | 3 | 0 |

#### Points by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Total |
| Points | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 82 |

#### Total points by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Total |
| Points | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 32 | 35 | 38 | 38 | 41 | 44 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 52 | 55 | 58 | 61 | 64 | 65 | 68 | 71 | 74 | 75 | 78 | 81 | 82 | 82 |

#### Standing by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Standing |
| Standing | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |

#### Goals by match day

| Match day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Total |
| Goals | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 81 |

### Statistics for the 2015–16 season

* This is an overview of all the statistics for played matches in the 2014–15 season.
| | Friendlies | Johan Cruyff Shield | KNVB Cup | UEFA Champions League | UEFA Europa League | Eredivisie | Total |
| Matches | 6 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 34 of 34 | 40 of 43 |
| Win | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 25 of 34 | 27 of 43 |
| Draw | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 34 | 9 of 43 |
| Loss | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 34 | 4 of 43 |
| Home | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 17 | 2 of 20 |
| Away | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 17 | 4 of 23 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 x yellow in 1 match | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of substitutes used | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| Goals for | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 74 |
| Goals against | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 29 |
| Balance | +4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +22 | +26 |
| Clean sheets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties for | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties against | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### 2015–16 team records

| Description | Competition | Result |
| Biggest win | Friendly match | Ajax – Umm Salal ( 6–1 ) |
| Biggest win | KNVB Cup | — |
| Biggest win | UEFA Champions League | — |
| Biggest win | UEFA Europa League | — |
| Biggest win | Eredivisie | AZ – Ajax ( 0–3 ) |
| Biggest loss | Friendly match | Ajax – Nordsjælland ( 1–3 ) |
| Biggest loss | KNVB Cup | — |
| Biggest loss | UEFA Champions League | Ajax – Rapid Wien ( 2–3 ) |
| Biggest loss | UEFA Europa League | — |
| Biggest loss | Eredivisie | — |
| Most goals in a match | Friendly match | Ajax – Umm Salal ( 6–1 ) |
| Most goals in a match | KNVB Cup | — |
| Most goals in a match | UEFA Champions League | Ajax – Rapid Wien ( 2–3 ) |
| Most goals in a match | UEFA Europa League | — |
| Most goals in a match | Eredivisie | AZ – Ajax ( 0–3 ) |

#### Topscorers

| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Yaya Sanogo | 3 |
| 2. | Lasse Schöne | 2 |
| 3. | Riechedly Bazoer | 1 |
| 3. | Danny Bakker | 1 |
| 3. | Arkadiusz Milik | 1 |
| 3. | Anwar El Ghazi | 1 |
| 3. | Davy Klaassen | 1 |
| 3. | Lucas Andersen | 1 |
| Own goal | Maksim Kuzmin (Dynamo Moscow) | 1 |
| Total | Total | 12 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Arkadiusz Milik | 21 |
| 2. | Davy Klaassen | 12 |
| 3. | Anwar El Ghazi | 11 |
| 4. | Viktor Fischer | 7 |
| 5. | Amin Younes | 6 |
| 6. | Riechedly Bazoer | 5 |
| 7. | Nemanja Gudelj | 4 |
| 8. | Lasse Schöne | 4 |
| 9. | Joël Veltman | 2 |
| 10. | Thulani Serero | 1 |
| Total | Total | 64 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Viktor Fischer | 1 |
| 1. | John Heitinga | 1 |
| Total | Total | 2 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | Davy Klaassen | 2 |
| 2. | Arkadiusz Milik | 1 |
| 2. | Nemanja Gudelj | 1 |
| Total | Total | 4 |
| Nr. | Name | |
| 1. | — | - |
| Total | Total | — |

## Placements

| | Friendlies | KNVB Cup | UEFA Champions League | UEFA Europa League | Eredivisie |
| Status | 6 played, 2 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses | 4th Round Next opponent: De Graafschap | Third qualifying round Last opponent: SK Rapid Wien Placement for: UEFA Europa League Playoffs | Playoff Round Next opponent: FK Jablonec | — |

## Competitions

All times are in CEST

### Eredivisie
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | PSV Eindhoven (C) | 34 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 88 | 32 | +56 | 84 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Ajax | 34 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 81 | 21 | +60 | 82 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Feyenoord | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 62 | 40 | +22 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 4 | AZ | 34 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 59 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Utrecht | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 57 | 48 | +9 | 53 | Qualification for the European competition play-offs |
* ↑ Feyenoord qualified for the Europa League group stage by winning the 2015–16 KNVB Cup.
* ↑ Four teams played for one spot in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round.

#### Matches
### UEFA Europa League
#### Qualifying rounds
##### Play-off round
#### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MOL | FEN | AJX | CEL |
| 1 | Molde | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 11 | Advance to knockout phase | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| 2 | Fenerbahçe | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 9 | Advance to knockout phase | 1–3 | — | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| 3 | Ajax | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 2–2 |
| 4 | Celtic | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | −4 | 3 | | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | — |

#### Matches
## Transfers for 2015–16
### Summer transfer window

For a list of all Dutch football transfers in the summer window (1 July 2015 to 31 August 2015) please see List of Dutch football transfers summer 2015.

#### Arrivals

* The following players moved to AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | Previous club | Fee |
| Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell |
| Sheraldo Becker | Forward | 30 June 2015 | PEC Zwolle | - |
| Lerin Duarte | Midfielder | 30 June 2015 | Heerenveen | - |
| Mickey van der Hart | Goalkeeper | 30 June 2015 | Go Ahead Eagles | - |
| Bas Kuipers | Defender | 30 June 2015 | Excelsior | - |
| Ruben Ligeon | Defender | 30 June 2015 | NAC Breda | - |
| Lesly de Sa | Forward | 30 June 2015 | Go Ahead Eagles | - |
| Loan | Loan | Loan | Loan | Loan |
| Yaya Sanogo | Forward | 17 July 2015 | Arsenal | - |
| Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer |
| Arkadiusz Milik | Forward | 1 April 2015 | Bayer Leverkusen | €2,800,000 |
| Francesco Antonucci | Midfielder | 5 May 2015 | Anderlecht | €500,000 |
| Nemanja Gudelj | Midfielder | 6 May 2015 | AZ | €6,000,000 |
| Dragiša Gudelj | Defender | 9 May 2015 | NAC Breda | €150,000 |
| Mitchell Dijks | Defender | 19 June 2015 | Willem II | €1,000,000 |
| Kasper Dolberg | Forward | 30 June 2015 | Silkeborg | €270,000 |
| Amin Younes | Midfielder | 15 July 2015 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | €1,500,000 |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| John Heitinga | Defender | 25 June 2015 | Hertha BSC | - |
| Keshone Mettendaf | Midfielder | 30 June 2015 | Almere City | - |
| Frenkie de Jong | Midfielder | 24 August 2015 | Willem II | - |

#### Departures

* The following players moved from AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | New club | Fee |
| Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan |
| Xavier Mous | Goalkeeper | 30 June 2015 | Oss | - |
| Peter Leeuwenburgh | Goalkeeper | 30 June 2015 | Dordrecht | - |
| Sheraldo Becker | Forward | 30 June 2015 | PEC Zwolle | - |
| Ruben Ligeon | Defender | 30 June 2015 | Willem II | - |
| Lesly de Sa | Forward | 30 June 2015 | Willem II | - |
| Richairo Zivkovic | Forward | 30 June 2015 | Willem II | - |
| Queensy Menig | Forward | 27 July 2015 | PEC Zwolle | - |
| Lucas Andersen | Midfielder | 24 August 2015 | Willem II | - |
| Loan return | Loan return | Loan return | Loan return | Loan return |
| Niki Zimling | Midfielder | 30 June 2015 | Mainz 05 | - |
| Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer | Transfer |
| Kolbeinn Sigþórsson | Forward | 1 July 2015 | Nantes | €3,500,000 |
| Ricardo Kishna | Forward | 27 July 2015 | Lazio | €4,000,000 |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| Tom Noordhoff | Defender | 29 April 2015 | Telstar | - |
| Marvin Höner | Forward | 20 May 2015 | SV Rödinghausen | - |
| Sinan Keskin | Forward | 20 May 2015 | Utrecht | - |
| Joost Meendering | Goalkeeper | 28 May 2015 | HVV Hollandia | - |
| Melvin Vissers | Midfielder | 29 May 2015 | Sparta Rotterdam | - |
| Bas Kuipers | Defender | 20 June 2015 | Excelsior | - |
| Mike Grim | Goalkeeper | 23 June 2015 | Almere City | - |
| Niklas Moisander | Defender | 30 June 2015 | Sampdoria | - |
| James Efmorfidis | Midfielder | 30 June 2015 | AZ | - |
| Shaquill Sno | Defender | 30 June 2015 | – | - |
| Samet Bulut | Forward | 30 June 2015 | PEC Zwolle | - |
| Fabian Sporkslede | Midfielder | 16 July 2015 | Chievo | - |
| Donyell Malen | Forward | 24 July 2015 | Arsenal | - |
| Abdel Malek El Hasnaoui | Midfielder | 11 August 2015 | PEC Zwolle | - |
| Mickey van der Hart | Goalkeeper | 14 August 2015 | PEC Zwolle | - |

### Winter transfer window

For a list of all Dutch football transfers in the winter window (1 January 2016 to 1 February 2016) please see List of Dutch football transfers winter 2015–16.

#### Arrivals

* The following players moved to AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | New club | Fee |
| Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell |
| Frenkie de Jong | Midfielder | 1 January 2016 | Willem II | - |
| Peter Leeuwenburgh | Goalkeeper | 5 January 2016 | Dordrecht | - |
| Richairo Zivkovic | Forward | 31 January 2016 | Willem II | - |
| Ruben Ligeon | Defender | 31 January 2016 | Willem II | - |

#### Departures

* The following players moved from AFC Ajax.
| Name | Position | Transfer type | New club | Fee |
| Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan |
| Óttar Magnús Karlsson | Forward | 2 January 2015 | Sparta Rotterdam | - |
| Zakaria El Azzouzi | Forward | 4 January 2015 | Twente | - |
| Lerin Duarte | Midfielder | 31 January 2015 | NAC Breda | - |
| Ruben Ligeon | Defender | 31 January 2016 | Utrecht | - |
| Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell | Return from loan spell |
| Yaya Sanogo | Forward | 31 January 2016 | Arsenal | - |
| Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer | Free Transfer |
| Dejan Meleg | Forward | 3 January 2016 | Vojvodina | - |
| John Heitinga | Defender | 31 January 2016 | – | - |