With the big Dutch clubs winding down their winter training schedule ahead of the resumption of league matches, Neil Adderley rounds up this winter’s football transfer rumours so far.

Frank de Boer: Thanks but no thanks

Despite the English media tipping Frank de Boer as the next manager of Premier League club Newcastle United, the Ajax coach has made it clear his future lies at the Amsterdam club. At least until the summer.

‘I’m honoured,’ de Boer told De Telegraaf.

‘But it is not a club I aspire to manage. Newcastle is of course a sleeping giant with fantastic support and facilities but I’m not thinking about anything else at the moment.

‘I’m putting all my energy into Ajax and the training camp and I will be staying for at least another six months.’

It seems Newcastle, who lost manager Alan Pardew to rivals Crystal Palace, will have to broaden its search for a new boss.

‘I’ll reassess if another club that I’d like to manage comes calling in the summer,’ said the Ajax coach.

De Boer, who has also been linked to both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, is currently preparing his team for a return to Eredivisie action at their Doha winter training camp.

Celtic determined to hold on to Virgil Van Dijk

The Premier League may be calling for Virgil Van Dijk but the Scottish champions are adamant the highly-rated centre half will remain a Celtic player for the remainder of the season.

The Dutch defender, who has been linked to Sunderland, Everton and Arsenal, revealed Celtic are determined to hold on to the former FC Groningen player in the January transfer window.

Van Dijk told the Algemeen Dagblad: ‘You can never say never in football but Celtic are not prepared to let me go in this transfer period.’

‘It would be a boost to my career if I could make the step up now but I have no problem in seeing out the season at Celtic.’

The Celts may yet find it impossible to fend off a big money deal from a Premier League club, but manager Ronny Deila believes a January move for Van Dijk would suit neither Celtic nor the player.

Deila said: ‘He is enjoying his football here, playing well. That’s positive. He is such an important player for us.’

‘Virgil’s developing now and taking steps all the time which is very important.’

He continued: ‘Yes, he’s worth a lot of money but I am very calm. In my opinion he is a very good player now but he can become a world-class player.’

Wesley Sneijder staying in Istanbul

With Juventus reportedly in pole position to secure the services of the Dutch international midfielder, it seemed Wesley Sneijder was on his way out of the Turkish capital and heading for another Italian adventure.

However, after discussions between the Galatasaray board, agent Guido Albers and the midfielder’s lawyer, Cor Hellingman, Albers believes it is more than likely his client will be staying in Istanbul.

The former Ajax and Internazionale player has a €20m buyout clause in his contract and it is thought Galatasaray refused an offer of €12m from Juventus.

Albers told broadcaster NOS: ‘I don’t believe there is a club who is prepared to pay €20m for Wesley this winter.’

FC Groningen set to lose top scorer

Michael De Leeuw may have played his last game for FC Groningen. News of the forward handing in a transfer request was quickly followed by concrete interest in Groningen’s top scorer from Chinese club Jiangsu Sainty.

Whether De Leeuw, who has reportedly been offered a highly lucrative contract by the Chinese club, will choose to continue his career in Asia remains unclear.

‘I would prefer to play in the Bundesliga or another big European league,’ said De Leeuw in an interview with RTV Noord (link).

‘But I am 28 now and I have to be realistic.’

FC Groningen have informed the player they will take any substantial bid seriously. However, an agreement on a transfer sum between the two clubs has yet to be reached.

Huntelaar wants Ajax return

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar recently committed his immediate future to Schalke 04 but the Dutch forward has not ruled out a return to his first love.

Boyhood Ajaxied Huntelaar, who spent two years at the club between 2006 and 2008, revealed Ajax had been in contact over a possible return to the Dutch capital.

He told De Telegraaf: ‘I spoke to Marc Overmars a couple of months ago. I told him at this moment in time I am happy playing abroad and the Bundesliga is a fantastic league.

‘You can never plan everything in football but we will see what happens in two years when my contract at Schalke is up.’

At the end of his current deal Huntelaar will be 33-years old but the international striker is not thinking about ending his career in Germany:

‘I’m still very fit so we’ll see what happens when the time comes,’ he said. ‘I’ve been very lucky not to have had any serious injuries and I’m feeling good.

‘Ajax was always my club, it was my boyhood team and my feelings for Ajax haven’t changed. I’m still a fan now.’