Ajax are confident that Manchester United coach Mitchell van der Gaag will accept the chance to become their new manager.
It’s fair to say that Ajax have really struggled since Erik ten Hag left the club to become Manchester United boss in 2022.
Alfred Schreuder replaced Ten Hag having previously served as his assistant manager in Amsterdam, but he lasted less than a year in charge.
Johnny Heitinga took over on an interim basis but didn’t land the job permanently, prompting the shock appointment of Sparta Rotterdam boss Maurice Steijn.
Steijn has remarkably won just two of his 10 games in charge of Ajax and he looks to be on the bring of the sack having been humiliated by Feyenoord last month.
Ajax want Manchester United’s Mitchell van der Gaag
Ajax haven’t made a change in the international break but Steijn is surely a dead man walking at this point.
The club’s hierarchy may well be targeting replacements ahead of sacking Steijn – and United may face being raided.
The Sunday Mirror (15/10, p78) report that Ajax have already started making enquiries into landing United coach Mitchell van der Gaag.
It’s stated that Ajax haven’t yet spoken directly to Van der Gaag but are confident that he would accept an offer to manage the club.
The report notes that one-time United boss Louis van Gaal is advising Ajax in their hunt for a new boss.
Van der Gaag is ‘hugely respected’ inside Ajax and the Dutch giants could soon make their move.
Van der Gaag’s coaching history examined
The 51-year-old had a lengthy career as a player, turning out for the likes of PSV Eindhoven, Utrecht, Maritimo, Al Nassr and even Motherwell.
Van der Gaag moved into coaching with Maritimo, leading their B team in 2008 before landing the top job there a year later.
After being sacked in 2010, Van der Gaag joined Portuguese rivals Belenenses and impressed with 36 wins in 57 games, guiding the club to promotion before heart problems forced a spell away from the game.
Van der Gaag returned with Ermis Aradippou in Cyprus, but lasted just a month as a contract stand-off resulted in his departure.
A return to the Netherlands materialised as Van der Gaag managed Eindhoven, Excelsior and NAC Breda before taking the Jong Ajax job.
Van der Gaag moved up to become Ten Hag’s assistant at Ajax in 2021 and then followed him to United a year later, deciding to stay down the route of being an assistant rather than a manager.
Ajax could now give Van der Gaag a chance to become a manager again though, potentially dealing Ten Hag a massive blow.
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