Edwin van der Sar 'contacted by Manchester United over director of football role'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 22 October 2022

Van der Sar 'contacted by Man United over director of football role'

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag spoke to Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar last week over a possible return to Old Trafford, according to a report.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag reportedly spoke to Edwin van der Sar last week over a possible return to Old Trafford in a director of football role.

The 51-year-old spent six years with the Red Devils at the end of his career, winning four Premier League titles and the Champions League during a successful period.

Van der Sar has been Ajax's CEO since 2016, and he has been heavily linked with a return to Man United in a staff role over the last few seasons due to his work in Amsterdam.

According to Voetbal Primeur, Ten Hag was in contact with the former goalkeeper last week to discuss a possible move to Old Trafford in the near future.

Last year, the Dutchman said that he was "extremely happy in Amsterdam" but refused to rule out a move back to Manchester to seek a "new challenge".

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag pictured on October 19, 2022 © Reuters

"Your name once in a while pops up, of course I've got a connection with Man United but I'm extremely happy in Amsterdam," he told The Athletic.

"There's always a next step, you want to have new experience, 'lets see if he can do the trick another time' probably in the end as a player you sort of feel the urge to take the next step, new challenge, you're on a dead track.

"For example, at Ajax I wanted a new challenge [and] went Juventus, at Juventus I was a dead track, ended up at Fulham — maybe stayed one or two years too long — in the end, I got the deal or the transfer that could finish my career at a high then playing six years.

"Probably at the end you want to go for the next challenge, but at the moment we're extremely fine here in Amsterdam."

Ten Hag swapped Ajax for Man United over the summer, with the 52-year-old leaving the Dutch giants having delivered three league titles and two Dutch Cups during his time at the helm.

Manchester United players celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against Everton on October 9, 2022 © Reuters

The Red Devils made a shaky start to the season under Ten Hag's leadership, losing their opening two Premier League games to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.

However, the 20-time English champions have won nine of their last 12 games in all competitions, and they will enter Saturday's clash with Chelsea off the back of a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

During his pre-match press conference, Ten Hag was asked what it would be like facing Graham Potter for the second time already this season, with the Dutchman losing to the now Chelsea manager's Brighton side on the opening weekend of the new campaign.

"It's nothing, I think from that game. It's a different game, different team. Yes, some different players, we are further in the process so I don't take - of course, I know more about him and the first time he knew maybe more about me," said Ten Hag.

"And that is maybe an advantage because he maybe knows more about Manchester United in the first game, so now I'm longer in the UK - in the Premier League - so tomorrow, good fight. But it is not a fight between managers, it is a fight between teams: Chelsea, Manchester United."

Man United will be without two first-team forwards at Stamford Bridge, with Anthony Martial still on the sidelines through injury, while Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended by the club after refusing to enter the field as a substitute against Tottenham last time out.