Van der Sar decides to step down as chief executive at Ajax

EDWIN van der Sar has resigned from his position as chief executive at Ajax.

The 52-year-old former Manchester United, Fulham and Netherlands goalkeeper, who started his playing career at Ajax, has been on the Eredivisie club’s board of directors since 2012.

He was initially director of marketing, then became chief executive in 2016, and had been on a contract running to 2025.

Van der Sar told the club’s official website: “After almost 11 years on the board, I am done.

“We have experienced wonderful things together, but it has also been an incredibly tough period. I am very grateful for the people I have met and worked with during my second career at Ajax, and what we have achieved and been through together.

“I feel the need to take some distance, to get some rest, and to do other things. It doesn’t feel good to take decisions about the future of this wonderful club in the coming period. That is why I have decided to resign.”

Van der Sar will transfer his duties to the board from June 1, and it has been requested that he formally remains in his position until August 1. The announcement comes after a trophyless 2022-23 campaign for Ajax which saw them finish third in the Eredivisie. Prior to that, Van der Sar’s time as chief executive had included the club winning three league titles and two Dutch cups under now Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, as well as reaching the Champions League semi-finals in 2018-19.

Supervisory board chair Pier Eringa said: “We wanted Edwin to stay, but he had made his decision. We have to respect that.”