Daniel Skaarud, €1.2m Ajax signing, joins Sandefjord

Norwegian forward Daniel Skaarud, 18, leaves Ajax after two seasons to sign a four‑year deal with Sandefjord Fotball. The player was bought from Lillestrøm SK in the summer of 2024 for just over €1.2 million and had a contract running to mid‑2027.

Skaarud arrived at Ajax from Lillestrøm SK in the summer of 2024 for a reported fee of €1.2 million. He signed a contract that would keep him at the Dutch club until the middle of 2027 and was placed in the under‑19 squad.

During his time in the academy he never managed to break into the Jong Ajax side. In his final season he featured only sporadically for the under‑19 team.

In the summer of 2024 he secured a move back to Norway, agreeing a four‑year contract with Sandefjord Fotball. The transfer marks his return to the Eliteserien after an unfulfilled spell in the Netherlands.

Matteus Bårdsen, sporting director of Sandefjord, commented on the signing. "We zijn erg blij dat we Daniel hebben kunnen aantrekken. Hij is een speler die al vroeg speeltijd kreeg in de Eliteserien, voordat hij naar Ajax ging. Het liep in Nederland niet helemaal zoals we hadden gehoopt, maar hij is een speler die goed is opgeleid bij Ajax en die ook in de jeugdteams van het nationale elftal heeft gespeeld".

The exact transfer fee paid to Ajax has not been disclosed. Both clubs confirmed the move via their official channels.