Amsterdam football club Ajax is poised to offer defender Daley Blind a free transfer to the club of his choice, the Telegraaf reported on Thursday.

The paper says Blind, 32, submitted the request before the World Cup. His contract is due to end next summer.

Sources close to the club told the paper that Ajax does not want to let Blind go, but will respect his decision. Blind returned to Amsterdam in 2018 after a spell at Manchester United and had a key role in the team that went on to win the Dutch league title in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

However, the player, 32, is not without his critics and he has not been favoured by new coach Alfred Schreuder, who has preferred to place Owen Wijndal and Devyne Rensch as left back.

Rather than let him hang around in the dug out, Ajax is willing to let him go, the Telegraaf said. Antwerp is one of the clubs said to be looking to take him on.