March 30th 2024.
It seems that Mitchell van der Gaag may be making a return to his former club Ajax as their new manager this summer. This potential move could mean that Manchester United, where he has been an assistant to current boss Erik ten Hag since 2022, might lose a valuable member of their staff.
Van der Gaag, who is 52 years old, previously worked as Ten Hag's assistant at Ajax before following him to Old Trafford. He also has experience as a head coach, having managed clubs like Maritimo and Belenenses in Portugal and Excelsior and NAC in his home country of the Netherlands. This makes him an attractive candidate for Ajax, who are currently facing a difficult season, sitting in fifth place in the Eredivisie and a whopping 31 points behind league leaders PSV.
Ajax have been struggling this season, and their current interim manager, John van 't Schip, is not expected to remain in the role next season. It is reported that the club sees Van der Gaag as a potential solution to their troubles and are looking to rebuild and move on from this disappointing campaign.
This potential move would be a blow to Ten Hag, as he would lose a trusted colleague and assistant in the Old Trafford dugout. This comes at a time when there are major changes happening at Manchester United, with a complete overhaul of the football decision-makers under the new co-owners.
Van der Gaag joined Ten Hag in moving to Manchester United in 2022, and he has been an important member of the coaching staff since then. However, he is not the only one to have left the club in recent months, as coach Eric Ramsay departed in February to take up his first managerial role with Minnesota United in the Major League Soccer.
There are also rumors surrounding Ten Hag's future at the club, with the new co-owners at Manchester United considering their options. The team has had a difficult season, losing 11 Premier League games and currently sitting in sixth place. However, a recent win over Liverpool secured them a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals against Championship side Coventry City.
Ten Hag's position at the club will likely depend on how the team finishes the season. If they are able to lift a trophy, he will likely keep his job. However, if they fail to do so and miss out on Champions League qualification, the club's owners will have a tough decision to make.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo has missed training due to illness ahead of their upcoming match against Brentford. However, Ten Hag remains defiant in the face of rumors that the club is interested in hiring Gareth Southgate, stating, "I don't care." For more Manchester United news, exclusives, and analysis, sign up for our newsletter. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
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