Manchester United face losing a key member of Erik ten Hag’s staff as Ajax are interested in appointing assistant Mitchell van der Gaag as their new manager this summer.
The 52-year-old was Ten Hag’s assistant at Ajax before moving to Old Trafford with him in 2022 and has worked alongside the Red Devils boss ever since.
Van der Gaag worked with Jong Ajax from 2019-21 and has held the top job at clubs before, in Portugal with Maritimo and Belenenses before returning to his home country and taking charge of the likes of Excelsior and NAC.
Ajax are having a nightmare season, currently fifth in the Eredivisie table and an incredible 31 points behind league leaders PSV.
Experienced coach, and former Ajax winger, John van ’t Schip is in charge on an interim basis but is not expected to remain as manager next season and beyond.
The Sun reports that Van der Gaag is a target for the Dutch giants as they prepare to rebuild and move on from a campaign to forget this time around.
It would be a blow to Ten Hag to lose a trusted colleague in the Old Trafford dugout during a time when there is huge change in the club’s hierarchy, with a complete overhaul of the football decision-makers under the new co-owners.
Ten Hag also lost coach Eric Ramsay in February, when the 32-year-old accepted his first role as a manager with Minnesota United in Major League Soccer.
Rumours are still swirling over whether Ten Hag himself will still be in charge at Old Trafford next season, with Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team considering their options.
Manchester United have lost 11 Premier League games this season and sit sixth in the table, but a win over Liverpool has booked them a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals against Championship side Coventry City.
If Ten Hag can finish the season by lifting a trophy then he will likely keep his job, but failure to do so and missing out on Champions League qualification will leave his bosses with a decision to make.
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