Ajax Reaches Settlement With Nouri Family

Ajax had previously acknowledged its inadequate immediate medical response after Abdelhak Nouri suffered cardiac arrest in a 2017 preseason friendly.

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Ajax Amsterdam has reached a financial settlement with the family of talented midfielder Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered severe and permanent brain damage after collapsing during a preseason friendly in 2017.

The club previously acknowledged that Nouri did not get adequate medical attention after he collapsed and accepted responsibility. It announced on Monday it will pay Nouri's family a net sum of 7.85 million euros ($8.9 million) in damages and loss of potential future earnings.

The settlement brought to an end a case Nouri's family began at the Dutch soccer association's arbitration commission. Ajax has paid medical and other care costs for Nouri since 2017.

Nouri was just 20 when he collapsed against Werder Bremen in Austria. He made his debut for Ajax in September 2016 and played 15 games for the first team.

The club gave his name to a trophy that is awarded each year to the most talented player at the Ajax academy and the first team retired the No. 34 jersey Nouri wore.

“It is good that an agreement has been reached so that we can conclude this,” Ajax director Edwin van der Sar said. “We all realize that it does not end the suffering of Abdelhak and his loved ones. It remains a very sad situation, that is how we feel here at Ajax, too.”