Amourricho van Axel Dongen hasn’t played for Ajax’s first team so far this season, only managing three youth appearances across the campaign.
The 20-year-old missed the start of the current season due a knee injury. After returning and playing less than 60 minutes, spread across three matches, he was then unfortunate enough to pick up an ankle injury and hasn’t returned since that October setback.
According to the youngster, he could have been at Manchester United instead had he pursued a move when Erik ten Hag showed some interest in the winger.
Ten Hag knew Van Axel Dongen from the pair being together at Ajax, and it’s claimed he held out the hand of Manchester United when the player was in a contract vacuum.
Van Axel Dongen, represented by SEG, last signed an Ajax contract in May 2023, but he’d been on the edge of free agency status.
The player has been speaking to Ziggo Sport, with SoccerNews.nl carrying his quotes.
After saying he’d had offers to leave as a free agent, Van Zxel Dongen stated: “That was the manager (Ten Hag) who had brought me to the first team. Of course he heard about the situation. He called me and I was in the cinema. I suddenly see a missed call from Ten Hag. I think: why is he calling me? Then we spoke and I explained the situation to him.”
SoccerNews.nl then say the chance of a move to Manchester United was presented, but Ten Hag wasn’t putting on the full sales pitch: “He told me honestly, and I appreciate that from him, I worked with you, but I advise you to stay at Ajax. That’s where you can develop yourself best. He said: if you leave, I want you to come to me. That’s what he said. Those were his own words.”
It does feel a little exaggerated and more like Ten Hag was being polite rather than genuinely offering the chance to join Manchester United.
