Ivorian international Simon Adingra has set his sights on following in the footsteps of former Ajax star Mohammed Kudus after completing his move to the Amsterdam giants from Sunderland.
Adingra joined Ajax on a season-long loan on September 2, with the Dutch club also securing an option to make the transfer permanent. Ajax officially confirmed the deal and described the 24-year-old winger as a player whose pace, penetration and mentality can immediately add attacking threat to the team.
The Côte d’Ivoire international believes Ajax’s footballing philosophy is particularly suited to his qualities and is hoping to reproduce the impact Kudus made during his three seasons in Amsterdam.
“Ajax is a good environment and also the style of play, I think it fits my style,” Adingra said in an interview published by Ajax.
“I hope I can do just as well here as Mohammed Kudus.”
The comparison is significant given Kudus’ standing among Ajax’s successful African imports of recent years.
The Ghana international arrived at Ajax from FC Nordsjælland in 2020 and went on to make 87 official appearances, scoring 27 goals before his 2023 transfer to West Ham United. Ajax also confirmed that Kudus won three trophies during his time at the club — two Eredivisie titles, in 2021 and 2022, and the KNVB Cup in 2021.
Adingra’s own journey bears striking similarities to Kudus’ pathway into European football.
Born in Abobo, Côte d’Ivoire, Adingra moved to Ghana’s Right to Dream Academy in 2018 before joining FC Nordsjælland in Denmark in 2021 — the same club from which Kudus moved to Ajax a year earlier. Ajax itself highlighted the connection when introducing the Ivorian to supporters.
His breakthrough season in Denmark produced 12 goals and four assists in 40 appearances, earning him a move to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022. He subsequently spent a season on loan at Union Saint-Gilloise, where he produced 15 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions.
Adingra then established himself in England with Brighton, making 73 appearances for the Premier League club before joining Sunderland in 2025. During his Brighton spell, he also produced a memorable performance against Ajax in the 2023/24 Europa League, scoring and assisting in Brighton’s 2-0 victory in Amsterdam before setting up another goal in the return fixture.
His career continued through Sunderland and a loan spell at AS Monaco, where Ajax noted that he made 14 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring three goals and providing two assists. He also recorded the highest average number of dribbles per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 during that spell.
The Ivorian arrives in Amsterdam with considerable international pedigree as well. He has won 30 caps for Côte d’Ivoireand was instrumental in the country’s 2024 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, providing two assists in the final, including the pass for Sébastien Haller’s winning goal.
Ajax sporting director Jordi Cruijff believes Adingra possesses the attributes required to make an immediate impact.
“Simon brings pace, penetration and a strong mentality. That is exactly the profile we were looking for,” Cruijff said. “He possesses qualities that can immediately add more attacking threat to our game.”
For Adingra, however, the move represents more than another transfer.
He is returning to the club where he has already experienced both the atmosphere and demands of European football, but this time as an Ajax player.
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