Erik ten Hag’s resignation from Ajax was announced with a video of the new Manchester United manager embracing Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ten Hag’s appointment was confirmed by United on Thursday when the Dutchman signed a three-year contract with a four-year option to become the club’s new manager. Ten Hag will spend the rest of the season with the Amsterdam giants before taking over as manager in the summer, succeeding interim leader Ralf Rangnick, who will become a consultant.
Ajax also verified the news and appeared to send their best wishes to the 52-year-old by sharing footage on TikTok of the manager and Ronaldo during a Champions League quarter-final match for Juventus in 2018/19.
The Portugal international and Ten Hag embraced on the sidelines and had a jovial talk as Ajax eliminated Juve from the championship with a 2-1 second-leg victory (3-2 on aggregate) in Turin.
Ajax captioned the video with a handshake emoji between the names of the two clubs, adding: “Erik ten Hag’s transfer to Manchester United has been agreed upon by Ajax and Manchester United. It remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will team up with Ten Hag, as his future at Old Trafford is uncertain. After completing a dream homecoming to Manchester United last summer, the 37-year-old still has one year left on his current contract.
But things haven’t gone as planned, with United not only failing to fight for the Premier League title but also risking missing out on a top-four finish. Ronaldo has indicated a desire to play Champions League football, which might determine whether or not he remains at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag is also planning major changes at the club, with as many as 12 players leaving in a huge exodus, while the number of arrivals might approach double figures. Ten Hag maintains that he is “honored” to be elected United’s new manager, saying: “It is a great honor to be named manager of Manchester United, and I am very thrilled about the challenges that lie ahead.
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“I am well-versed in the history of this wonderful club as well as the enthusiasm of the fans, and I am motivated to build a team capable of delivering the results they deserve. It will be painful for me to leave Ajax after these fantastic years, and I can assure our supporters of my whole devotion and attention on completing this season successfully before moving to Manchester United.”
