Ajax's Oscar Gloukh Shines with Hat-Trick in Season Opener Amid Team Rebuild

In Ajax's season opener against Vojvodina Novi Sad, Israeli playmaker Oscar Gloukh scored a hat-trick, leading his team to a 4-1 victory. Despite a rough first half where coach Mitchell criticized Gloukh for losing possession and urged him to run forward quickly, the second half saw a remarkable turnaround with Gloukh becoming the focal point of Ajax's attack. Mitchell praised Gloukh's performance after the match but emphasized there is still room for improvement.

Gloukh, Ajax's major signing from last summer, has faced a challenging season marked by instability, including three coaching changes and poor team performance that left Ajax fifth in the league last year, 28 points behind champions PSV Eindhoven. The arrival of Mitchell as head coach and Jordi Cruyff as sporting director has brought a clear shift towards an attacking, creative style of play, with Gloukh positioned as the team's number 10, focusing more on offense and goal-scoring rather than defensive duties.

Ajax's transfer window has been active, with notable signings like Julian Brandt and Marc-André ter Stegen, enhancing the squad's quality. However, the club still seeks a dominant defensive midfielder to stabilize the team and allow Gloukh and Brandt to play together effectively. Meanwhile, speculation surrounds the future of key players like Mikael Uth, with PSG reportedly interested.

Elsewhere in Dutch football, PSV Eindhoven remains the favorite for the title despite losing star Ismail Saibari to Bayern Munich, while Feyenoord has undergone management changes, replacing Robin van Persie with Gio van Bronckhorst. Israeli defender Satu Lamkin is entering his second season with Twente, aiming to build on a strong debut year. The Eredivisie season kicked off with promises of exciting, attacking football, with Ajax set to play their first match today against Zwolle.