Ajax ace Davy Klaassen declared Manchester United have been "doing badly for years" as he ruthlessly questioned why Erik ten Hag would swap the Johan Cruyff Arena for Old Trafford.
Ten Hag is the odds-on favourite to become United's next permanent manager this summer - when Ralf Rangnick will leave the interim job - and completed his interview with club chiefs in March. The Dutchman has overtaken Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino as the frontrunner for the role after an impressive five-year stint with Ajax.
He has led the Amsterdam giants to two Eredivisie-KNVB Cup doubles as well as the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. In contrast, the Red Devils have not won a trophy since 2017 and they have no realistic chance of silverware this season.
Saturday evening's 1-1 draw at home to Leicester saw Rangnick's side slump to seventh in the Premier League table, so a top-four finish also appears unlikely. With that in mind, Klaassen cannot understand why Ten Hag would consider leaving Ajax to join United. "He has been doing well with us for years and Manchester United has been doing badly for years," the midfielder told told Dutch outlet VoetbalPrimeur of Ten Hag.
Klaassen was also keen to point out his manager is under contract until 2023, so Ajax are under no pressure to let him leave this summer. "He can also stay. I hope so," Klaassen said in response to rumours of Ten Hag departing for a new challenge. This season, Ajax have a four-point lead in the Eredivisie and they could retain the KNVB Cup in the final against PSV Eindhoven in two Sunday's time. Former Everton playmaker Klaassen has played an important role in the heart of midfield by contributing eight goals and three assists in all competitions.
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Meanwhile, Ten Hag reaffirmed his dedication to Ajax during an interview with German broadcaster Sport1 at the start of April, insisting he cannot afford to be sidetracked by the rumours surrounding his future. "My focus is currently only on Ajax," the 52-year-old said. "But in football you never know. I don't want to rule anything out. I'm currently employed here at Ajax to perform.
"With the cup final against Eindhoven, we still have eight finals left, and I need all my energy for that. Anything else would just be a distraction. I know that everything in football can change from one day to the next. If at some point I should decide to take the next step, I hope that people here will understand."
