Build the team you cannot afford to keep.

THE REASON TO CARE

Ajax: an academy legacy

Ajax’s official coaching material places its academy and attacking philosophy at the centre of its approach. This proposed challenge makes continuity and development more important than holding on to every star forever.

Your opening moves

1. Choose the academy players who can become regulars, then map a realistic two-season route into your team.
2. Create a consistent playing model across your squads. Recruit versatile players who support it rather than changing the system after every departure.
3. Maintain two replacement options for every sought-after starter: one internal prospect and one external target.

Give the save its own rules.

• Start at least four club-trained players whenever fitness and eligibility permit.
• Permanent signings must be 23 or younger, with one older exception per season.
• When a key player is sold, give an internal candidate a genuine audition before signing a replacement.

A career worth following

1. First: turn two academy prospects into regular starters.
2. Next: win the domestic title with a substantial academy core.
3. Finish: win the Champions League with six club-trained players in the matchday squad.

The trap to avoid

Buying too many prospects can block your own academy. Playing time is a limited resource; keep the pathway clear.

Check before you start

Confirm the club’s division, player availability, finances, competition rules, and database version. Keep an untouched opening save. If your database differs from the premise, adapt the challenge and record the change rather than quietly editing the game world.

The real-world inspiration

• Ajax: academy and coaching philosophy ↗

Sources reviewed 27 October 2026. These support the football context; the challenge rules, goals, and difficulty label are Touchline’s editorial choices.