Abdelhak Nouri’s Ajax contract to end after former player wakes from coma but club in talks with family over settlement
Ajax are poised to end the contract of Abdelhak Nouri after he woke from a coma as they continue talks with his family over a settlement fee.
Nouri suffered a cardiac arrhythmia during a pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen in 2017.
He was revived on the pitch, but left with permanent brain damage and fell into a coma for two years and nine months.
Nouri’s Ajax contract, which has been paid in full by the club since the tragic incident, expires this summer.
Dutch outlet claim the 22-year-old’s contract has a pre-agreed 12-month extension that the club will not follow through with.
Instead, Ajax are believed to be in negotiations with his family over a settlement.
Last week, Ajax were reportedly planning on offering Nouri’s family £4.5million after admitting their on-pitch medical treatment of the player was ‘inadequate’.
And the Royal Dutch Football Association’s arbitration panel stated his brain damage was caused due to the failure to resuscitate him quickly enough.
In 2018, Ajax general manager Edwin Van der Sar said: “We recognise our responsibility and liability for the consequences of this.
“For a long time we were convinced that Abdelhak had received the best possible care on the field.”
However, it is understood Nouri’s family are holding out for a much bigger payout than £4.5million.
On Friday, it was announced that Nouri had woken from his coma.
His brother, Abderrahim, said: “He has not been home very long, we take care of him there now.
“I must say that since he is at home it is going much better than before in the hospital.
“He is aware of where he is, he is back in a familiar environment with his family.
“He’s no longer in a coma. He’s very bedridden and still very dependent on us.”
Nouri made 12 first-team appearances for Ajax after coming through their esteemed academy.