Krishnan Sreekumar
Fabrizio Romano relays Erik ten Hag transfer message about Ajax star Jurrien Timber being linked to Manchester United
Speaking to football journalist Mike Verweij, as relayed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, incoming new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag remained coy on signing Ajax Amsterdam defender Jurrien Timber in the summer.
ten Hag will depart Ajax at the end of the season after spending five years in Amsterdam, where he managed to win a hat-trick of Eredivisie titles. He has also added a few cup competition triumphs to his trophy cabinet, while managing to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019.
The Dutchman will replace Ralf Rangnick as United’s new head coach, becoming the fifth permanent manager to be appointed by the club since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. Rangnick will depart the side in the summer when his tenure as interim boss comes to an end.
ten Hag is swapping Amsterdam for Manchester ahead of the new season, but that has also seen his soon-to-be former players Timber and Antony be linked with moves away from Ajax, especially to Manchester United- as per Metro. The pair has been impressive under the 52-year-old this campaign, winning a league title as a reward.
Potential double swoop at Ajax
Romano quoted ten Hag, who did not give away too much regarding a potential move by the Red Devils for Timber in the summer. The Dutchman simply said that all top clubs have the defender in their sights ahead of the transfer window, which may only further increase speculation about the player’s future.
The Ajax boss also spoke about Antony, saying that his exit would be a blow for the Dutch side as there was no one in their current squad to replace him. It remains to be seen if the Brazilian could join forces with his manager once again at Old Trafford.
In Timber and Antony, perhaps ten Hag may have solutions to address United’s problems at the back and up front. The rearguard has been underwhelming for the Red Devils this season, unable to hold their ground against stronger opposition.
Meanwhile, the current crop of attacking options at the club have failed to deliver goals on a regular basis. The Manchester side have been overly reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo, with the other forwards unable to find a consistent scoring form.
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Timber may only be 20 years old, but he has excelled in central defence for Ajax this term and led them to an Eredivisie title. Meanwhile, Antony may perhaps be tempted by United’s interest in him, offering the player a bigger platform to showcase his talents.
ten Hag has thus far remained coy on the futures of the duo, but that could change once the summer transfer window opens. He is expected to lead a squad overhaul once he takes charge, and it will come as no surprise if he opts to raid his former club for reinforcements to the squad he inherits from Rangnick.
