Ajax face the end of an era after Erik ten Hag reportedly agreed to join Manchester United.
The Athletic report Ten Hag has given a ‘verbal agreement’ to United, which will be made official next week.
The reports are not disputed in the Netherlands. Ten Hag has made up his mind and is heading to Old Trafford.
Keyed-in reporters at Ajax are left wondering if the club could have done anything to keep him.
The moment Ten Hag decided
Ajax correspondent Mike Vermijl told De Telegraaf he was surprised Ajax had not attempted to extend the manager’s contract, which was due to expire in 2023.
He said: “They missed an opportunity to make Ten Hag a good offer.
“There was talk, but no offer was made and no one knows why. From the moment Overmars was gone, something snapped with Ten Hag.”
Marc Overmars was forced to step down as sporting director earlier this year in light of allegations against him, BBC Sport reported.
The former Arsenal winger may have scored the goal to lose United the title in 97/98, but it seems he inadvertently teed the Red Devils up for Ten Hag in 2022.
He had been at Ajax since 2012 and had a contract to 2026. From the moment he left, it seems Ten Hag began to question his own future, and Ajax did not fight to stop him.
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Vermijl says United’s approach was not a foregone conclusion.
He said: “Leipzig made an offer that was worth considering. Ten Hag’s heart is in Germany and he would like to manage Bayern Munich one day, but Manchester is Manchester and they made a good offer. That’s what he fell for.”
Now Ten Hag is seeking to end his season on a high at Ajax and win the league and cup double.
United deserve credit for staying patient in November, rather than rushing into a move for another permanent manager. The club have since re-assessed, while writing off this current season, and are preparing to start from scratch.
As the latest man tasked with restoring United’s former glories, Ten Hag has a huge job on his hands. This could be part of the attraction, and seemingly, he felt as though he had reached the end of the road at Ajax.
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