Ten Hag extends Ajax contract

Ajax coach Erik ten Hag has extended his contract at the club until 2022, the Eredivisie champions have confirmed.

Ten Hag enjoyed a marvellous season in 2018-19, leading Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals, Eredivisie title and a KNVB Beker triumph.

Ajax drew plaudits for their exhilarating style of play, with youngsters such as Frenkie de Jong – who will move to Barcelona next month – Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek all thriving under Ten Hag’s tutelage.

And while the futures of some of their star performers remain in doubt, Ajax have at least secured their coach on a long-term deal, with Ten Hag agreeing to a contract extension that will keep him at the club until June 30, 2022.

‘Op naar meer mooie successen samen met jullie’#ForTheFuture pic.twitter.com/7Vyhpd8vJE

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) June 20, 2019

“I am very happy. We have had a fantastic year and now want to expand on this, help the club move forward,” Ten Hag told Ajax’s official website.

“The results we have achieved so far have been fantastic. It will be a hell of a job to repeat that. But we will set our goals again and go for results again.”

Ajax’s director of football Marc Overmars was delighted to have Ten Hag on board for the coming seasons, as the club prepare for another period of squad overhaul.

“I think it is good for Ajax that the coach will also be active here in the years to come after such a successful season. We want to continue building,” Overmars told the club’s official website.

“That will not be easy, because a few defining players will of course leave, but we hope to cope with it well. Erik has to turn it into a team again. He has been entrusted with that.”

Ajax beat Real Madrid and Juventus on their way to the last four of the Champions League, only to crash out after conceding three second-half goals at home to Tottenham in the second leg of their semi-final tie.

Ten Hag had been linked with a return Bayern Munich, where he previously coached the reserve team, though the Bundesliga champions appear to be standing by Niko Kovac after he won a domestic double in his first season at Allianz Arena.