Why Man Utd will never be able to play like Ajax – Ten Hag

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag in a statement said the Red Devils will never be able to play like his popular Ajax squad.

Ten Hag moved to Old Trafford in May 2022 with the club spending over £400 million on transfers of new players to join his squad.

The Dutchman was known for playing exciting, attacking football with Ajax but has found it hard to replicate the same with Man United.

After the 3-0 defeat to Man City on Sunday, Jamie Carragher claimed the Red Devils are playing “underdog football,” relying on “counter-attacks and a lot of long balls.”

Ten Hag in a response explained why it would be hard for the Red Devils to play slick football like his former club.

“We will never play that football,” Ten Hag told Viapla.

“Because those were different players,” he explained. “This is also not why I came here. We are playing different football than I showed at Ajax because I have to, because I can’t play the same way. The players decide how you play.

“Ajax has a very typical and characteristic style of play, with Manchester United I will always show different football, I did so last year as well. We play much more direct football here because I have the players for that here.”