Ajax Man Set To Follow Erik ten Hag To Manchester United
REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
Erik ten Hag, after verbally agreeing to become Manchester United manager last week, has now decided to bring his Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag with him to England.
The duo will be on the touchline today in the KNVB Cup final clash against PSV Eindhoven, and look to conclude Ajax’s campaign with a trophy or two before moving to Manchester to start a major rebuild at Old Trafford in the summer.
According to the Mirror, Ten Hag has informed United he wants Van der Gaag to be his assistant rather than Steve McClaren, alongside whom he led Twente to the final of the KNVB Cup in 2009.
The former Dutch Under-21 international was promoted as Ten Hag’s No 2 before the start of the current season after impressing as a coach of Jong Ajax, the Eredivisie giants’ youth team.
Ten Hag is known to preside over every training session, but Van der Gaag offers him a second pair of eyes. Ajax recognise his qualities and have been trying to persuade their assistant manager to reject United’s offer, but his relationship with the club’s manager has won the argument.
It is understood Ten Hag also wants Robin van Persie. However, the former United striker, currently working in Feyenoord’s academy, remains undecided about the offer.