The Hoops failed in their attempts to sign the striker who has returned to former club Ajax

22:07, 03 Sep 2025Updated 22:43, 03 Sep 2025

Kasper Dolberg(Image: Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)

Kasper Dolberg has revealed that he simply could not pass up the chance to re-join Ajax after snubbing Celtic.

After agreeing a £7million deal to sell Adam Idah to Swansea, the Hoops saw two bids rejected by Anderlecht for the Denmark international, who reportedly had no interest in making the move to Parkhead.

Instead, the 27-year-old – who has scored 44 goals across the last two seasons – has returned to Amsterdam six years after the Dutch giants sold him to Nice in Ligue 1 for £19million.

But in a social media message addressing his Anderlecht exit, Dolberg insists he informed the club of his intentions as soon as he learned of Ajax’s interest.

He wrote on Instagram: “Two years ago, I joined your club, that turned out to be exactly the right place for me.

“No, we didn’t win a trophy together. How I wish we could have shared that moment.

However, we shared a lot of other things. Passion. Mutual respect. A city for my family. My little girls were born here. Brussels will always be special for us.

“An opportunity to go back to Ajax arrived late in the window. I asked the club to allow the move to happen. I simply could not let this opportunity slip away to go back. To go home.

Kasper Dolberg(Image: Belga/AFP via Getty Images)

“I’m very grateful that Anderlecht has granted me this move. It shows the mutual respect we have had for each other over the past two years.

“To you, fans: thank you for your continuous support. Amsterdam is not that far. Come and visit.”

Despite Ajax‘s late play to bring Dolberg back to the Johan Cruyff Arena, technical director Alex Kroes reveals that he had been on their radar for a significant period of time.

Asked about how long Dolberg was on their list, he replied: “For months.

“He became older and more mature (after leaving Ajax). He will never be the most extrovert person in the world but he doesn’t have to be.

“He still has that flair. He has been scoring goals over the past years, very pretty goals.

“He adds something to the team. We have him, Wout Weghorst and Don-Angelo Konadu.

“He will get a chance to develop himself, there will be plenty of matches in which we will need all three of them.”