£1billion cash cow Ten Hag...
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 £86m sale of winger Antony to Old Trafford topped off an incredible £210m transfer window for his former club with the Brazil star following £57m defender Lisandro
Martinez to United.
That came after Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch, Perr Schuurs and Nicolas Talgliafico – all brought on by Ten Hag – were sold, ensuring Ajax completed another bankbusting window.
It brought total sales of Ten Hag players to a hefty £580m in five years – and that’s just one aspect of his financial influence at the Amsterdam outfit.
For five consecutive seasons, the 52-year-old coach guided them to the Champions League, guaranteeing a £250m income stream.
Bonus
Winning the Dutch league and reaching the semi-final of the Champions League also improved the status of the club on the market, leading to improvements in commercial deals worth £150m.
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. Wherever he has been as a coach, Ten Hag has a reputation for improving players, leading to a cash bonus when players are sold on.
United are not a selling club like Dutch champions Ajax who, because of their limited resources, have a different transfer strategy.
In Amsterdam, Ten Hag repeatedly created new teams having sold his star players.
But even compared to Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, the Reds do not generate cash from player sales to the same extent as their domestic rivals.