Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has ruthlessly criticised former side Ajax over the Dutch club’s “scandalous” handling of two players after his departure.
Erik ten Hag arrived at Ajax in 2017 after his spell with Utrecht and the Dutchman made a real name for himself during his successful run at the Eredivisie side.
The 54-year-old Manchester United boss lifted three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups during his time in the dugout at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Ten Hag also engineered Ajax’s scintillating run in the 2018-19 Champions League season, including knocking then-champions Real Madrid out of the last 16.
The Dutchman’s Ajax side defied the odds and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, only to be knocked out by Tottenham in the 2018-19 season.
Ten Hag bowed out of the Eredivisie side in 2022 and succeeded Red Devils legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United’s permanent manager.
The former Ajax boss impressed in his debut season at Old Trafford, with Ten Hag lifting the Carabao Cup and securing United’s return to the Champions League.
Ten Hag also led United to the FA Cup final in 2023, only for the Red Devils to suffer a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at Wembley.
His second season saw United finish eighth in the Premier League, but Ten Hag avenged the 2023 FA Cup final defeat by lifting the trophy on Saturday.
Ten Hag identifies problem at Ajax
Ajax have struggled in the aftermath of Erik ten Hag’s departure to Manchester United, with the Dutch club chopping and changing managers.
The Dutch side finished third in the Eredivisie in the first season after Ten Hag’s exit, with Alfred Schreuder dismissed as Ajax manager during the campaign.
Maurice Steijn succeeded Alfred Schreuder as Ajax’s permanent manager for the 2023-24 season, but the Eredivisie club endured a turbulent 2023-24 season.
Ajax ended the season in fifth place and Maurice Steijn was axed after four months in charge, with the club winning only one league match in seven under him.
Speaking to Voetbal International, Ten Hag insisted that a key issue at Ajax is the squad is “out of balance” and believes the club have made a “mess” of it.
“The squad is completely out of balance, you really need to improve that,” he said, as per the Metro.
“And that also takes time, maybe it will take another year because they have made a mess of it. That is unprecedented.”
Ten Hag critical of Ajax cutting two players
Daley Blind was in his second spell at Ajax and played under Ten Hag after he left United and returned to the Dutch club in 2018.
The 34-year-old former United star left Ajax in 2022 after his contract was terminated by mutual agreement and he went on to sign for Bayern Munich.
Davy Klaassen, meanwhile, made his exit from Ajax in 2023 and completed a free transfer move to Serie A side Inter Milan.
Ten Hag said it was “scandalous” the way that Daley Blind and Davy Klaassen were allowed to leave Ajax and the imbalance their departures caused on the squad.
“How were they able to say goodbye to players like Daley Blind and Davy Klaassen? I really thought that was so scandalous, the way that happened. So bad for Ajax,” he added.
“They should never have gotten rid of Davy Klaassen. Such a player is so important for the group, for the club.
“You want to guard that DNA; you must guard it. He will always continue to go for your club, even if others give up, because he is a true Ajax player.
“Daley Blind [is the] same story. How stupid can you be?
“It is such a beautiful club and we have created so many beautiful things there, you hope that the club can continue to build on that.”