Manchester United will be busy in the summer transfer window and Erik ten Hag could use his connections at Ajax to sign an exciting young player.
Ten Hag left the Dutch giants to join United last year, but used his time at the club to his advantage in the transfer market. United shelled out over £140million to sign Lisandro Martinez and Antony from Ajax in the summer – and they are interested in returning to Amsterdam for more players this year.
Amourricho van Axel Dongen is a player that Ten Hag knows well, having overseen his progression through the club’s academy to the first team. That relationship could stand him in good stead when it comes to the summer transfer window, with Van Axel Dongen potentially available.
Here Mirror Football takes a look at everything you need to know about the Ajax starlet.
Man Utd interest
Ten Hag gave Van Axel Dongen his Ajax debut back in January 2022, bringing him on for Antony for the final five minutes of a 3-0 away win over Utrecht. That cameo appearance remains just one of three outings for the Ajax first team, with the young winger remaining in the under-21 side.
He might not make many more appearances for Ajax, either, with a big decision looming on the horizon. Van Axel Dongen’s contract is due to expire at the end of June and, although Ajax are in negotiations over extending it, nothing has been agreed.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Ajax have offered him a contract until June 2027 but no decision has been reached. United are aware of the situation and while no bid has been sent, they are ready to pounce if the impasse continues. Clubs in Germany and Italy are also said to be interested, so United might not be alone.
Ten Hag connection
Van Axel Dongen remains a big fan of Ten Hag. Back in September he gave an eyebrow-raising interview in the Netherlands which made clear just how highly he rates his former boss.
“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. “And 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.
“To be honest, I am not currently in the process of renewing my contract. 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.”
Academy star
Van Axel Dongen has long been earmarked as a star of the future. In 2021 he won Ajax’s prestigious Abdelhak Nouri Trophy – the prize, which is awarded to the biggest talent in the academy. It has previously been won by Matthijs de Ligt and Ryan Gravenberch – both players who have moved on from the club.
He has 17 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances across all age groups for Ajax so far. The 18-year-old, who has previously been courted by Chelsea, predominantly plays on the left wing, but likes to cut inside onto his right foot.
His idol is Netherlands great Clarence Seedorf, who has provided much support throughout his early career. “I look up to him very much,” he told Trouw last year. “My mother pointed him out to me and then I started to get to know him by watching videos. He was a good footballer, but also a good person.”
Van Axel Dongen’s father told Ajax Showtime: “He (Seedorf) sent Amourricho a message via Instagram in which he said that Amo was doing well and that he should continue like this. That was a really happy moment. Amourricho really liked that, and it motivates him to continue getting better.”
‘Spotlight is on him’
Unsurprisingly, Ajax are keen to keep hold of him. Current manager Johnny Heitinga has given Van Axel Dongen a glowing review. “Amourricho has a lot of potential,” he said. “He has high expectations of himself.
“He is a boy who makes the difference. He has great individuality, but can run both on the outside and inside, and has power. He is a boy on a mission, he knows what he wants and is very aware of the steps he has to take.
“He occasionally trains with the first team, where you can see that he is being challenged because it all moves even faster. You can see that Amourricho is a talented player. The spotlight is now on him.”
It remains to be seen what his future holds.
