Thilo Kehrer on Joining Ajax: Building on a Strong Foundation
Thilo Kehrer arrived at Ajax in the most modern way possible: with the clock ticking down and his phone buzzing non-stop.
Deadline Day, new league, new club. Even for a defender who has seen plenty in German and French football, this felt different.
“That was a first for me,” the German centre-back told ESPN on Friday. “Very exciting, it was different. I’m happy to be here.”
A deal done at speed
The move came together at breakneck pace. Kehrer only learned of Ajax’s interest the day before he signed.
“A day earlier I first heard about Ajax,” he explained. “Everything happened very quickly: talks with Jordi (Cruyff), with the coach. After that, the clubs wrapped it up. The next day I was on my way.”
No long saga. No drawn-out negotiations. Just a call, a conversation, and then a ticket to Amsterdam.
Ter Stegen’s message and familiar territory
Barely had the ink dried on his contract when a message dropped in from another German in Amsterdam: Marc-André ter Stegen, on loan from FC Barcelona.
“Soon after completing the move, I got a message from Marc-André ter Stegen,” Kehrer said. He did not need much convincing.
“I didn’t need to ask much. I already knew Ajax very well. I played for Schalke, not far from here. Everything was already very clear.”
The club, the style, the reputation in Germany – none of it was new to him.
Drawn by ambition and trophies
What made him say yes so quickly? Ambition. Ajax’s, and his own.
“Before making the switch, I gave the move careful thought,” Kehrer admitted. “The most important thing for me is to be competitive and to play for titles, to have the ambition to win trophies and matches. That is possible here. The foundation is there, now we have to make it work.”
For a defender in his prime, Ajax’s promise of competing for silverware still carries weight. The club’s identity did the rest.
First impressions of Ajax’s “DNA”
Coming in from AS Monaco, Kehrer was immediately struck by what he found in Amsterdam.
“The scale, the stadium, the atmosphere and the pure football,” he said. “The club have their own DNA.”
It is that mix – the arena, the expectation, the insistence on playing – that has pulled countless players into Ajax’s orbit. Kehrer has stepped straight into that tradition.
Contract now, future later
His deal runs until mid-2027. Beyond that, he refuses to look too far ahead.
“I don’t know yet,” he said when asked about staying longer. “We’ll see how the season goes, but I’m certainly open to it. There are still many matches until next year. We’ll see.”
For now, the focus is on the months in front of him, not the years beyond.
Settling in with familiar faces
Adjusting to a new club is easier when the dressing room does not feel entirely new. Kehrer already knew Caio Henrique and Simon Adringa from Monaco.
“It makes it easier when you have familiar faces,” he said. “They help you integrate. You already have a connection. It was nice to see them again.”
He also crosses paths again with names he knows from Germany.
“I know Marc ter Stegen and Julian Brandt from when I played against them in the Bundesliga and from the German national team.”
From Schalke to Monaco to Ajax, Kehrer has chosen a club where the expectations are clear and the pressure is constant. The foundation, as he puts it, is in place.
Now comes the real test: can he help turn that into trophies in Amsterdam?
