Man Utd make director of football decision – report
Manchester United have reportedly identified Edwin van der Sar as their leading candidate to become the club’s first director of football.
Van der Sar is currently serving as chief executive on the board of Ajax, another of the clubs the former Holland goalkeeper represented during his playing career.
Upon hanging up his gloves in 2011, Van der Sar studied for a marketing degree before becoming Ajax’s marketing director in 2012. He was promoted to the role of CEO in 2016 and working alongside technical director Marc Overmars, the 48-year-old has helped take Ajax back to the top of European football while banking around £220million in transfer fees from selling the likes of Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie De Jong.
According to The Mirror, Van der Sar’s work has caught the eye of Ed Woodward, who hopes to persuade the former Fulham and Juventus stopper to return to Old Trafford.
Van der Sar spoke in April of being open to United’s approach – but for now, he has a job to do at Ajax.
“I want to feel I contribute, and you can only do it for something you believe in. United is a special place,” he told The Times.
“Who knows, eventually? But for the coming years I’m here.”
