Ten Hag rocked, as key Man Utd man ready to leave if one club comes calling

Erik ten Hag may face the loss of a valuable figure at Manchester United, as reports suggest that the attraction of joining a specific club may be too tempting to resist.

Ten Hag has been dealing with numerous challenges at the start of the 2023/34 season. According to news from the Netherlands, the Man Utd manager might soon be separated from someone he shares a “strong bond” with at Old Trafford.

Ajax, Ten Hag’s former club, has had a difficult start to the season. The Dutch powerhouse, accustomed to battling for the top spot in the Eredivisie against Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, currently sits in 16th place out of 18 after six matches.

Maurice Steijn, the new Ajax manager who replaced John Heitinga during the summer, has had a nightmare start.

Ajax has only won two out of their first 10 matches in all competitions, and the pressure on Steijn is already increasing.

Dutch publication De Telegraaf recently reported that Ajax’s interim CEO, Jan van Halst, has secretly made plans regarding potential candidates to represent the club on the touchline.

According to the report, Ajax has set their sights on Ten Hag’s assistant coach at Old Trafford – Mitchell van der Gaag.

The 51-year-old Dutchman is one of Ten Hag’s two assistants, alongside Steve McClaren. Van der Gaag has previously managed various clubs in Portugal and the Netherlands, but has been serving as Ten Hag’s assistant since joining Ajax in 2021.

However, according to the latest report from Soccernews, Van der Gaag is ready to step out of Ten Hag’s shadow and leave Man Utd if Ajax comes knocking.

Van der Gaag’s potential departure from Man Utd

The report states that Van der Gaag “always wants to aim higher” and is not satisfied with being a permanent assistant.

It is claimed that he is now “open to standing on his own two feet again” and Ajax is one of the clubs that could persuade him to make the move.

If appointed, this move to Ajax would be similar to Ten Hag’s own appointment at the club back in 2017.

At that time, Ten Hag experienced the most significant moment of his career, just as Van der Gaag would in 2023. During his four-and-a-half-year tenure at Ajax, Ten Hag helped the club win six major honors, including three league titles.

While the possibility of losing Van der Gaag depends on Ajax parting ways with Steijn, it seems entirely plausible if the club’s results don’t improve quickly.

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