Erik ten Hag has been busy this week as the former Manchester United manager approaches a return to management following his brutal sacking by Bayer Leverkusen.
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has reportedly held talks over a return to his former club Ajax. Ten Hag became available after being released by Bayer Leverkusen at the start of the season and has recently been linked with a return to the Premier League.
The Dutchman was one of the names shortlisted by Wolves as they continue their search for a replacement for the sacked Vitor Pereira. Ten Hag was sacked by Leverkusen after just two games into the season and is looking for a new club.
Wolves reportedly contacted ten Hag through an intermediary to gauge his interest in the vacant job. However, Wolves’ position at the bottom of the Premier League with two points from 10 games did not appeal to Ten Hag, who is believed to have received a more attractive offer, while Wolves are set to pursue Rob Edwards from Middlesbrough.
According to Dutch outlet AD, Ten Hag has already held talks with Ajax leaders about the possibility of replacing John Heitinga, who was sacked on Thursday. Ajax, fourth in the Eredivisie, suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but it was the final straw for Heitinga.
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Heitinga left Arne Slott’s coaching staff at Liverpool in the summer to join Ajax, but won just five of his 15 games. The 41-year-old was fired in a statement Thursday afternoon. Technical Director Alex Kroes said: “This is a difficult decision. But looking back at the past few months, we have to conclude that things have turned out very differently than we had envisioned. We have made too little progress and have lost points unnecessarily.”
With the loss against Galatasaray, Heitinga has now won just one of his last seven matches, but after the game, supporters called for his dismissal. “This is no longer sustainable and the decline of the sport must be stopped now. The AFCA Supporters Club has great respect for Heitinga as a player, but now we judge him as a leader,” one supporters organization said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ajax’s players also painted a worrying picture, with coach Davey Claassen unable to back Heitinga, saying after the game that he had “little foundation” and “very little development”. It appears as though Ten Hag will be the one to fill the void after Fred Grimm was appointed as interim boss.
Kroos reportedly met with Ten Hag this week and his past success with the club could lead to a return. The 55-year-old manager won 73 per cent of his matches between January 2018 and May 2022, winning three Eredivisie titles, two domestic cups and helping Ajax reach the Champions League semi-finals.
His eye-catching form at Ajax earned him a move to United in the summer of 2022, and he delivered two further trophies at Old Trafford, the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
Ten Hag was sacked by United a year ago and replaced by Ruben Amorim. His short stay in Leverkusen was a blow, but it doesn’t seem to have damaged his reputation too much.
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