Erik ten Hag has become Ajax’s £1Billion Man - thanks to Manchester United.
That’s the incredible tally of cash ten Hag has made for Ajax in just five years since he joined them from FC Utrecht in 2017. The £86million sale of Brazilian winger Antony to Old Trafford topped off an incredible £210m transfer window for Ajax with the South American star following £57m Argentinian defender Lisandro Martinez to United.
That came after Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch, Perr Schuurs and Nicholas Tagliafico - all brought on by ten Hag - were sold in a churn that ensured Ajax completed another bank busting window. It brought total sales of ten Hag players to a hefty £580million in five years - and that’s just one aspect of his financial influence at the Amsterdam club.
For five consecutive seasons, the 52-year-old coach guided Ajax to the Champions League, guaranteeing a £250million income stream.
Winning the league and reaching the semi final of the Champions league also improved the status of the club on the commercial market, leading to improvements of commercial deals worth £150million.
It means ten Hag’s fingerprints are all over the Ajax success story - and there’s a feeling at Old Trafford that United can benefit from his work.
For wherever he’s been as a coach ten Hag has a reputation for improving players - leading to a cash bonus when players are sold on.
United aren’t a selling club unlike Dutch champions Ajax who, because of their limit on resources, have a different transfer strategy. But it’s a long held belief by United fans that compared to Premier League giants Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea the Reds don’t generate cash in terms of player sales to the same extent as their rivals.
Ten Hag might have left Ajax for England, but in Amsterdam he’s seen as a messiah after repeatedly creating new teams having sold top players like Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt.
“Your contribution is not something we forget, it has been really impressive’’ Ajax chief executive and former United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar told him before he left for Old Trafford.
That’s why for a billion reasons, ten Hag will always be a legend at Ajax.
