Ajax recall Chivu from Roma

Ajax have recalled Romanian defender Christian Chivu from Roma after the Italian club failed to provide financial guarantees for his transfer.

The 22-year-old signed with Roma for five years in early July after Ajax accepted a 16.6 million-euro (18.2m dollar) offer.

But the Italian club could not provide the necessary bank guarantees to finalise the transfer.

"Ajax are calling Christian Chivu back to Amsterdam. AS Roma have not succeeded in fulfilling their contractual obligations to give the bank guarantees for the transfer fee," an Ajax statement said.

Roma were recently at the centre of a false bank guarantees scandal which sent shockwaves through Italian football.

The news could re-ignite the interest of Real Madrid and Inter Milan in the defender who has scored 13 goals in 106 Ajax appearances.

Ajax director Arie van Eijden confirmed on Thursday that other clubs were tracking the Romanian for similar sums of money.