"Litmanen's seven-year spell at Ajax saw the Finnish forward establish himself as one of Europe's best players, as the Dutch side's punt on the young MyPa star in 1992 more than paid off. Litmanen would net 129 goals in 228 appearances for the club, helping them win four Eredivisie titles and three KNVB Cups domestically, with that side's crowning achievement being the 1995 Champions League victory under boss Louis van Gaal."
"There were three options on the table for me: Bayern, Barcelona and Liverpool, Litmanen tells FourFourTwo. I followed La Liga in the Netherlands because of Johan Cruyff and Koeman, and Barca were always a special club. I was convinced I could adapt to Spanish football, but during the first few months, I had a lot of injuries. It was frustrating because I couldn't fully adapt."
"The squad also had plenty of quality in my position Luis Enrique, Ronald de Boer, Gabri so every time I came back, I had to fight for my place in the team and never got into a rhythm. The next pre-season, I felt really good. I thought, 'This is going to be a better year for me.' But Van Gaal had left and Lorenzo Serra Ferrer had taken over as interim coach before the presidential elections."
Jari Litmanen scored 129 goals in 228 appearances for Ajax over seven years, winning four Eredivisie titles, three KNVB Cups and the 1995 Champions League under Louis van Gaal. Persistent injuries reduced his playing time and prompted his 1999 departure, after which Bayern, Barcelona and Liverpool showed interest. At Barcelona Litmanen initially hoped to adapt to La Liga but suffered early injuries and faced strong competition from Luis Enrique, Ronald de Boer and Gabri, preventing rhythm and regular starts. A coaching change to Lorenzo Serra Ferrer and squad decisions, including giving the No.10 shirt to Rivaldo, left him frequently unused despite fitness.
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