Marco Van Ginkel
Agent suggests Chelsea's Van Ginkel would have preferred to stay in Holland. (Reuters)

New Chelsea signing Marco Van Ginkel wanted to join Ajax this summer rather than move to Stamford Bridge, according to an agent who oversaw his move to the Premier League.

The 20-year-old Dutch midfielder left Arnhem Vitesse to join Andre Schurrle, Mark Schwarzer and Cristian Cuevas as Chelsea's new recruits as Jose Mourinho returned to south west London this summer, but the Blues had to fend off interest in Van Ginkel from Dutch champions Ajax.

The Premier League side would eventually get their man however, aided by a stronger financial package and a close relationship with Van Ginkel's former club Vitesse, where Chelsea youngsters Lucas Piazon, Cristian Cuevas, Patrick van Aanholt and Gael Kakuta have been shipped to on season long loans.

But a member of Van Ginkel's management team has revealed both they and the Dutch U21 international himself were pushing for a move to the Dutch capital.

"As agents it was absolutely our first intention to recommend that Marco van Ginkel stay in the Netherlands," said Rob Jansenfrom SportPromotion, the agency who oversaw Van Ginkel's summer transfer, told Dutch radio station BNR.

"My brother (Karel Jansen) guided Marco. And Ajax was the best intermediate step, because the boy wanted it himself. Ajax very much wanted it too.

"In Dutch terms, the package that Ajax put forward was a great deal of money. The player wanted to go to Ajax and not to another club.

"The amount of money that Vitesse would have got was not far from the Chelsea sum, so it wasn't a big difference.

"But because Chelsea have a huge grip on Vitesse, pressure was put onto the player. They wanted him."

Van Ginkel signed a five year contract at Stamford Bridge in early July after Chelsea agreed a reported fee of £9m with Vitesse. The Dutchman will be competing alongside Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Ramires and possibly David Luiz for a central midfield role in Mourinho's side, as the Europa League champions prepare to get their campaign underway against Hull City on Sunday.

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