Erik ten Hag’s impact on the young players at Ajax has been underlined by the words of rising star Amourricho van Axel Dongen.
Ten Hag left Ajax for Manchester United earlier in the summer after spending five years as the Dutch side’s head coach. While the success of his spell in charge is usually defined by the trophies he won – three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups – his stint can also be measured by the number of players he developed.
An obvious example is Antony, who was signed by Ten Hag from Sao Paulo in 2020 and, after two impressive years in Amsterdam, has followed his coach to Manchester in a blockbuster £85.5million transfer. But there are many other players who Ten Hag has helped shape, including Van Axel Dongen.
The 17-year-old forward has worked his way through the Ajax academy since joining the club in 2013 and was handed his debut for the first team by Ten Hag. Back in January, he was brought on for Antony for the final five minutes of a 3-0 away win over Utrecht.
That moment has stayed in Van Axel Dongen’s head and the youngster would not say no to a reunion with Ten Hag further down the line. “I will remain eternally grateful to him for giving me the opportunity as a young player to play football with players like Antony and Dusan Tadic,” he told Voetbal Zone .
“I think it’s great to see that things are going a bit better with Manchester United; I really wish him that. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to speak to him since his transfer to United, but who knows, our paths may cross in the future.”
Van Axel Dongen’s talent is shown by the fact that he won Ajax’s prestigious Abdelhak Nouri Trophy last year. The prize, which is awarded to the biggest talent in Ajax's youth academy, has previously been won by Matthijs de Ligt and Ryan Gravenberch – both players who have moved on from the club.
Van Axel Dongen’s contract is set to expire in June 2023 and he is yet to decide where his future lies. “To be honest, I am not currently in the process of renewing my contract,” he admitted. “For now I will focus completely on staying fit and playing and see what comes my way. Talks are not underway yet, but they could always be.”
It is early days for the young forward, who tends to play off the left wing, but he is already backing his ability to make a mark. “If you always work hard and you start to perform, people will automatically see you as a talent,” he said. “I prefer to call myself a player with potential and it's up to me to show that. I prefer to speak with my feet. Just enjoy playing football and the rest will come naturally.”
