- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
TBR Football understands that Ajax are taking their time with the appointment of their new coach with the knowledge that Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag could be available to them.
The Amsterdam giants have held lengthy talks with a host of leading candidates including Liverpool’s number two Pep Lijnders and former Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
Ajax sacked Maurice Steijn earlier this season and decided to bring in an interim boss in the shape of John van ‘t Schip.
That gave Ajax time to assess options which they have been doing but in recent months they have become aware that Erik ten Hag may not see out the summer with Manchester United as the pressure mounts.
Ajax ‘monitoring’ Ten Hag’s situation at United
Sources close to Ajax have now confirmed to TBR that they are indeed ‘monitoring’ the situation as there is genuine belief at the club that he could return.
Bringing Ten Hag back is seen as clearly the best option within the corridors of power at the Amsterdam Arena, and that is now why they are taking their time assessing their options.
TBR understands that Ten Hag’s future has not been decided by the club’s new hierarchy led by INEOS, but talks with new technical director Jason Wilcox are planned in the coming weeks.
INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who now oversees football operations at Old Trafford, is a fan of Ten Hag and how he has brought on the youth at the club – but United’s form in the closing weeks of the season was always seen as key to whether he would remain in charge.
Elsewhere, Marcus Rashford has told United he’s focused on recapturing his previous form and does not want to leave the club this summer.
Ten Hag’s Ajax record
The current campaign hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for Ten Hag after such a promising first year in Manchester.
Ten Hag remains in with a chance of lifting his second piece of silverware with the club as United are set to face Manchester City in next month’s FA Cup final.
But his record at Ajax was an outstanding one, to say the least, winning 159 of his 215 games in charge. The Dutchman picked up three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups during his four-and-a-half-year spell in Amsterdam.
With the Dutch giants currently sitting fifth, it’s easy to see why the return of Ten Hag could appeal to the Ajax hierarchy.