Mitchell van der Gaag is expected to stay at Manchester United despite the managerial vacancy at former club Ajax.
Ajax parted ways with head coach Maurice Steijn by mutual consent on Monday after just one win in seven league games.
The 36-time Dutch champions are second bottom of the Eredivisie table in the relegation places.
Former United boss Louis van Gaal returned to the club as an advisor earlier this month and is an admirer of Van der Gaag, who was No 2 to Erik ten Hag in Amsterdam before moving to Old Trafford.
However, Ajax are aware Van der Gaag is seen as a crucial figure in Ten Hag’s coaching team at United and he is expected to remain in post.
Van der Gaag previously coached the Ajax youth side before moving up to work with the first team under Ten Hag. The pair moved to Old Trafford together ahead of the 2022-23 season and are each under contract until 2025.
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Former Sparta Rotterdam boss Steijn took over at Ajax after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign but was unable to engineer a turnaround in form.
They have not won a match since August 31 and the 4-3 defeat to FC Utrecht on Sunday proved to be his last in charge.
Chief executive Jan van Halst said upon Monday’s announcement: “We have worked intensely and professionally together over the last few months. But the sportive successes and the development of the team were lacking.”
Ajax return to action against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Europa League on Thursday.
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(Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
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