Manchester City target Gregory van der Wiel: I want to win trophies and play at the very highest level

Gregory van der Wiel, Ajax (PROSHOTS)

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Gregory van der Wiel admits a move away from Ajax would be a huge challenge, but says he needs to win trophies to keep progressing in his career.

The Netherlands international, who has been linked with moves to Manchester City and Bayern Munich, has also expressed his desire to play at the highest level possible.

He told fifa.com: “I’ve never left Amsterdam and I don’t know what life is like elsewhere. It would be a huge challenge, but it ought to work out well, I’m sure of that.

“I want to win trophies, keep progressing and play at the very highest level.”

The right-back also reflected on his past mistakes, and how being sent away from the club’s academy as a youth helped him develop into a current Dutch international.

He said: “I was acting tough, had a big mouth and I deserved it. At Haarlem, I focused on my game and I calmed down. I progressed and I came back here even though I had offers from other teams. This is my club, this is my town and I wanted to show that I’d changed.

“I’ve grown up, I’ve matured. I’ve got used to the lifestyle of a footballer. I take each day as it comes.”