Erik ten Hag could only laugh and offer a rye smile after being pleaded not to take Jurrien Timber to Manchester United.
The 52-year-old will take charge of the Reds on July 1 as Ralf Rangnick vacates his role as interim head coach to undertake a consultancy role at Old Trafford alongside the Austrian manager’s job. Following United’s dismal Premier League campaign, a squad overhaul is on the horizon as Ten Hag and the German have already had dialogue ahead of the Dutchman’s arrival.
As he departs reigning Eredivisie champions Ajax, a number of their star players are fiercely linked with a move to United. One of which is the 20-year-old defender.
READ MORE: Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick opens up on Erik ten Hag chat
The 20-time English champions are keen to make a defensive addition in the upcoming transfer window after their woes at the back were exploited throughout the 2021-22 campaign, with the performances of captain Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw coming under the microscope.
And with the Dutch defender heavily linked with a reunion at the Reds, Ten Hag’s response during his final Ajax interview will only fuel the speculation. As the former Bayern Munich II head coach relieved his successful campaign in Holland, he sang the praises of the Utrecht-born defender.
He said : “At the bottom, there’s a photo of Jurrien Timber, he’s another great leader that was trained at Ajax. Besides his football skills, he has the personality to become a captain,” before the interviewer pleaded: “Please don’t take him with you,” to which Ten Hag laughed.
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