Arteta 'in danger of losing key man' as European rivals plot audacious swoop
Ajax have been tipped to raid Arsenal and appoint Mikel Arteta's assistant Albert Stuivenberg as their new manager.
The Dutch giants fired Maurice Steijn on Monday following their 4-3 defeat by Utrecht the previous day. The result leaves Ajax in the Eredivisie's relegation zone with only five points to their name, a staggering 22 points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.
Ajax dominated the Eredivisie during Erik ten Hag's time in charge, winning three consecutive titles. Yet they've struggled since he left for Manchester United in May 2022, finishing just third last season... and things have now gone from bad to unthinkably worse.
Ajax need a manager to drag them out of trouble and have turned to their former boss Louis van Gaal for help. The legendary manager has become an advisor for the four-time European champions and is keen on recommending Stuivenberg to the board.
According to Algemeen Dagblad, Van Gaal is a fan of Stuivenberg and believes he could implement an attacking style of play at Ajax. The 53-year-old coach joined Arsenal's coaching staff when Arteta was appointed as manager in December 2019.
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Stuivenberg has been a coach for more than three decades and worked with some of the game's greatest players, including Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Gareth Bale. He was one of Van Gaal's assistants at Old Trafford between 2014 and 2016.
"We always worked together well at the Dutch FA, when Louis was Netherlands manager and I was the U21 coach," Stuivenberg told De Telegraaf in 2017. "From there, he put his trust in me and took me with him to Manchester. I see that as a great compliment.
Stuivenberg has been part of Arteta's backroom staff for nearly four years (Getty Images)Do you think Albert Stuivenberg will become the new Ajax boss? Let us know in the comments below!
"Van Gaal is someone who has earned his marks in football and he can judge whether you have the skills or not... Louis gave me the opportunity to develop myself at the top level."
The Dutchman became Genk's manager in December 2016 but was fired by the Belgian club 12 months later for failing to win silverware. He joined Wales' coaching staff the following year and helped them qualify for Euro 2020 before departing in July 2021.
Stuivenberg has experience of managing in the Premier League after taking charge of Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in January 2022 when Arteta contracted Covid. The Gunners boss will not want to lose an important member of his backroom staff.
"I met (Stuivenberg) a few years ago through another coach," said Arteta in January 2022. "Obviously he’s a coach that I knew before because of his reputation and who he’s been working under before. We had a really good connection.
"We have the same belief, we see the game in the same way, we share all of the values that we believe have to be installed at the club. He’s someone who is very close to me and he’s more than capable (of managing). He’s done it before."
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