Erik ten Hag is gradually bringing Ajax to Manchester United, adding two more former players to his side.
When asked last year whether Manchester United could play the Ajax way, Erik ten Hag gave a quite brutal response, suggesting he lacked the players.
He has since spent the summer adding players who may be able to help. Joshua Zirkzee, who he has never worked with before, will help Ten Hag’s aims to keep possession in the final third.
While the double signing from Bayern, now confirmed, sees Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui both join up.
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Ajax message Manchester United
Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui both starred for Erik ten Hag’s Ajax, winning league titles and reaching the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
They join Andre Onana, another former Ajax star, while Antony and Lisandro Martinez were both signed from Ajax directly under Erik ten Hag in 2022.
Ajax sent a simple yet effective message following the confirmation of both deals, writing: “Manchester is red”.
The message was echoed by Ajax superfan The European Lad on X, who expressed his excitement at seeing half their old team reunited.
He wrote: “Can’t believe we are going to see Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt & Lisandro Martínez playing together again, with Andre Onana behind them and Antony on the right wing, with Erik ten Hag in charge. Come on Ajax.”
Another Ajax player recently left the club, with Donny van de Beek departing to join Girona on a permanent basis – although he had not played a competitive game for the Red Devils since January 2023.
Ajax connections can help
Erik ten Hag is making tweaks to his Manchester United team, and starting from the back. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been sold to make way for Noussair Mazraoui.
It helps Ten Hag’s aim for a more fluid style of football, with players comfortable playing out from the back.
Having two centre-backs, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt, who have trained the Ajax way, is potentially very exciting for United, and really helpful for goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Onana did not get to play much with the Argentine last season due to Martinez’s injury problems.
Meanwhile, Antony and Noussair Mazraoui developed a connection on the right wing at Ajax, which could yet blossom at Old Trafford.
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