Erik ten Hag and Graham Potter ‘lead Ajax’s three-man managerial shortlist’ alongside Ligue 1 boss amid mounting uncertainty over the Dutchman’s Man United future

Ajax’s hunt for a new manager has reportedly seen them place former boss Erik ten Hag at the front of the queue, alongside Graham Potter, in their three-man shortlist. 

The Dutchman left the Amsterdam giants back in 2022 to become the Manchester United manager, however his second season at the helm at Old Trafford leaves his immediate future far from certain. 

At Ajax he gained widespread acclaim for his role in building the team of 2018-19 which captured the hearts of football fans in a fairytale run to the Champions League semi-finals, beating the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus along the way. 

Yet despite Man United having what is widely considered to be a poor campaign by their standards stranded in sixth, Ten Hag reportedly finds himself linked with a return to his former club. 

Dutch publication De Telegraaf reports that Ten Hag, former Chelsea boss Potter and Nice manager Francesco Farioli are all being considered as candidates for the vacant full-time role.

Ex Chelsea boss Graham Potter has been linked with regularity with the post with increased regularity

Ajax have endured an extremely trying season with plenty of changes behind closed doors and poor performances on the pitch

Ten Hag is a name linked with success in his home country however, and at a time when Ajax are struggling a return to one of their more successful periods in recent history may provide the much-needed boost.  

Ajax have traditionally been the leading power in Dutch football, however this term they find themselves down in fifth a whopping 35 points short of leaders PSV Eindhoven. 

It has been a campaign of turmoil in Amsterdam, with matches delayed through supporter protests, managerial casualties, controversy behind the scenes and performances that are well below par. 

Under Ten Hag Ajax won 159 times in 215 appearances, and he left the club with a points-per-match ratio of 2.34.

He also added three Eredivisie titles, two Dutch Cups and a Dutch Super Cup to the Godenzonen’s already bulging trophy cabinet. 

Potter joins Ten Hag on the shortlist as per the report, and is still to join a new club since being sacked by Chelsea midway through last season. 

The ex-Brighton boss has been linked with the Dutch side a number of times, with reports suggesting he had turned down the position  earlier this month. 

Mail Sport reported that the former Chelsea and Brighton boss had held talks with the struggling Dutch giants earlier this month, though at that stage he was believed to be keeping his options open. 

Ten Hag won six major honours at Ajax in his previous tenure including three league titles 

Francseco Farioli has also been linked with the role after an impressive debut season at Nice

John van ‘t Schip took charge in October, but is set leave the club at the end of the season

The club’s new CEO Alex Kroes was suspended after they accused him of ‘insider trading’ 

The 48-year-old has been out of work since his Stamford Bridge dismissal last April following a poor run of form in a campaign which ended with the Blues languishing in 12th in the Premier League. 

After lasting only seven months into a five-year deal, Potter was understood to be looking for the right club with a clear strategy and was happy to remain patient until the right emerged. 

According to ESPN Netherlands, he is a step closer to that reality. They report that Potter and Ajax are in ‘very serious stages stages’ and he could travel to Amsterdam as earlier as Wednesday or Thursday. 

The third candidate on Ajax’s reported list, Farioli, has had an exceptional season with Nice, taking the southern French side up into fifth spot and has only lost eight of his 30 league games in charge.