 In August 2008, new Ajax manager Marco van Basten deemed Bakircioglu surplus to requirements, but the latter decided to stay, being restricted to only 17 league games in two seasons combined.He did manage, however, a crucial goal for the Amsterdam team, in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, in a 1–0 away win against ACF Fiorentina in the round of 32 (2–1 aggregate success).Bakircioglu left Ajax in June 2010, signing for Spain's Racing de Santander early in the following month.