Ajax officially hire former Manchester United midfielder

Manchester United’s connection with Ajax has long extended beyond transfers, often intersecting through players shaped by both clubs’ footballing identities.

One such figure spent formative years within the Ajax system before later experiencing the pressures and expectations of Old Trafford at the peak of the Premier League era.

The midfielder joined Manchester United in the summer of 1996 from Barcelona, arriving with a pedigree and tactical education.

During his spell at United, he made 54 appearances across all competitions, scoring 11 goals, and was part of squads that won two Premier League titles (1996–97, 1998–99), one FA Cup (1998–99), and the UEFA Champions League (1998–99).

His time at Old Trafford came to an end in 2000, when he left United in search of regular football, later joining Deportivo Alavés, where he would enjoy the most consistent spell of his playing career.

Prior to his move to England, he had already been deeply associated with Ajax, having spent key years in the club’s youth system before leaving Amsterdam as a teenager.

That early Ajax education would later shape Jordi Cruyff’s post-playing career, influencing his work in football administration and technical leadership roles across Europe.

In recent weeks, discussions regarding a return to Amsterdam had quietly gathered momentum, beginning with exploratory talks held in Barcelona involving Ajax’s senior football executives.

By the time talks progressed to in-person discussions in the Netherlands, Ajax’s internal process had shifted decisively from exploration to selection.

Ajax have taken a major step toward reshaping their sporting leadership after reaching a verbal agreement with Jordi Cruijff to become the club’s new technical director, according to their official website.

While the deal has not yet been formally completed, sources indicate that the appointment process is now in its final stages, with only procedural steps remaining before it can be made official.

Ajax are targeting an early February 2026 start date for Cruijff, allowing him to begin work midway through the season as the club continues its structural rebuild on and off the pitch.

In addition to the technical director role, Ajax’s Supervisory Board plans to install Cruijff as a statutory director, subject to completion of the required governance process.

The proposed term would run until 30 June 2028, underlining the club’s intention to provide long-term stability and continuity in its football operations.

As part of the formal procedure, Ajax will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, during which shareholders will be officially informed of the intended appointment and its terms.

Only after this meeting and the completion of all regulatory steps will Cruijff’s role be formally ratified.

Further announcements are expected once the final approvals have been secured.