Everything Erik ten Hag has said about his future amid Man Utd links

Quick Reads

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag does an interview with Fox sports at the Koning Willem II stadion. December 2020.

Nathan Egerton
5th March 2022

Having earned rave reviews for his work at Ajax, Erik ten Hag is reportedly one of the leading candidates for the Manchester United job.

Ten Hag has won two Eredivisie titles and famously led Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018-19 after knocking out Real Madrid and Juventus.

According to the Daily Mail, he is currently studying English in a bid to ensure he has a fluent grasp of the language ahead of a possible move to Old Trafford.

We’ve taken a look at everything Ten Hag has publically said about his future during the 2021-22 season.

Extraordinary

“There’s no reason for me to think about that now,” Ten Hag told Bild in October when asked what it would take for him to quit Ajax.

“I am very happy at Ajax and I give everything for the club, every day. I know you can’t plan anything in football, but you have to make an exceptional and extraordinary offer if I want to change my plans.”

Happy at Ajax

“I live in the present, so I find it hard to answer this,” Ten Hag told ESPN in November 2021 as he was linked with both Manchester United and Newcastle United.

“I always want to improve my team, and as long as I feel this motivation I want to keep going, if Ajax wants that too.

“I am happy at Ajax. I can work there in a good way. The conditions and the climate are good. Good management and very nice staff, and not to forget I have a very good group of players, which is also flexible.”

READ: How Van der Sar and Ten Hag made Ajax Europe’s funnest team… again

Focus

“I am focused on my team, we have a brilliant squad and we want to achieve a lot,” Ten Hag told ESPN after a 5-0 at RKC Waalwijk in November 2021.

“We have a brilliant squad, we want to fight for titles. My focus is on Ajax, the rest only distracts. I expect from my players that they are focused on Ajax, so I have to give the right example for that too.

“You keep asking me [about my position as Ajax manager], yes it is a weird question. I heard nothing about [United’s interest], so I can’t think about it.”

Busy

“I’m busy with Ajax,” he told reporters in November 2021. “I don’t need to talk about other interests, because nobody has contacted me.

“I don’t know the plans and strategies of other clubs, but I do know those of Ajax. We want to win titles this season and our focus has to be firmly on this.”

He added: “It’s always nice when you are linked to clubs with this status.”

Oh my. This build up for Ajax's first goal was something else. #TenHagBall pic.twitter.com/gGuRAbt08u

— BM (@Wideoverload) November 23, 2019

New challenge

“I think I’m ready for it [coaching abroad]. I would be happy to take up that challenge.” Ten Hag told de Volkskrant in December 2021.

“But I’m not chasing it. If it turns out that that step will never come, I will not say that my coaching career has failed. But I think I have sufficient competencies to take on that challenge.”

Marc Overmars

“Marc Overmars and me were definitely a strong duo,” Ten Hag said when Overmars left his position as Ajax’s Director of Football Affairs after sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues.

“But to think about this now… it’s not about me now. We need to process what happened. I will start looking at the consequences. I won’t think about my future now.”