Aheed Abrar
Edwin van der Sar dismisses Manchester United interest amidst unfinished business at Ajax
Manchester United icon Edwin van der Sar has dismissed the idea of returning to the club in an executive capacity. The ex-goalkeeper feels he still has unfinished business at Ajax.
The Dutch national has been in the Amsterdam-based club’s management since becoming their marketing director in 2012. Subsequently, the legendary shot-stopper was promoted to his current CEO role in 2016.
Van der Sar’s success at the helm at Ajax has prompted talks of a return to Manchester. However, speaking to The Times (Subscriptions Required) [h/t Manchester Evening News], the former Red Devil brushed off the idea of moving back to United.
“It’s never been that close. I have a good relationship with the board and I had a fantastic six years in Manchester, but I’m not finished here yet.”
The Dutch national spent six years of his playing career at Old Trafford. And in the 51-year-old’s stint with the Red Devils, he won multiple titles under Sir Alex Ferguson. The shot-stopper also played in the Eredivisie for Ajax and Fulham in the Premier League.
In his executive roles at the Eredivisie outfit, Van der Sar worked with Erik ten Hag when he managed Ajax. And the two built a successful and dominant team.
In the 2018/19 season, the club from Holland made it to the Champions League final. Unfortunately, they lost the chance to play in a final after a thrilling two legs against Tottenham Hotspur.
The recruitment at Ajax is one of the best in Europe. Youngsters from the Amsterdam-based club have, over the years, gone on to represent the biggest teams in Europe.
United signed Antony and Lisandro Martinez from Ajax in the recent transfer window. Midfielders Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek also have ties to the Eredivisie champions.
More Manchester United News
- Transfer News: Manchester United are interested in Jhon Duran who is also on Liverpool’s radar
- Injury Update: Raphael Varane gets boost for World Cup, but will not play for Manchester United till after that
- Club News: Edwin van der Sar admits that Antony and Lisandro Martinez’s move to Manchester United was hard to swallow
Supporters of the Old Trafford outfit have felt that the management at the top has not been adequate in recent years. Hopefully, we are able to bring an astute operator like Van der Sar in the future to fix some of the issues.
