Ajax boss Erik ten Hag responds to claims he is learning English to discuss Man United managerial offer

• Erik ten Hag is one of the big names linked to the Old Trafford job next summer
• The Dutchman however denied reports that he was working in his English in a bid to engage United in talks
• Ten Hag’s Ajax bowed out of the Champions League on Tuesday 3-2 on aggregate against Sporting Lisbon

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has denied claims that he has been learning English in preparation to take over at Manchester United.

The 52-year old has been heavily linked with the Red Devils, after it was reported that he could potentially leave Dutch giants Ajax FC at the end of the season.

Alongside PSG’s Mauricio Pochettino, Ten Haag has been the top name linked to the Manchester United job once Ralf Rangnick’s interim spell comes to an end.

Last week, reports were rife that the Dutchman was practising his English in preparation for contract talks with Manchester United.

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But on Tuesday, March 15, he denied those claims, saying English is a language that has always been spoken at Ajax because of the number of foreign players at the club.

"No, that is not true. We talk English in the club because we have a lot of foreign players.” Ten Hah told BT Sport.

He however did not necessarily deny that he was interested in the Old Trafford assignment.

Ajax knocked out of the Champions League

Ten Hag’s Ajax’s Champions League story for the 2021/22 season eventually came to an end as they suffered a last 16 exit at the hands of Benfica.

An entertaining first leg saw Ajax draw 2-2 against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, but the return leg was a much tighter affair.

Darwin Nunez eventually found the winner in the 77th minute in Amsterdam to send the visitors to the last eight of the competition.

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Interestingly, another Manchester United managerial candidate, Mauricio Pochettino, also saw his PSG side suffer an exit in the last 16.

Scholes on who Man United should hire next

As far as the next manager is concerned, Man United legends Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand believe the Red Devils should hire a manager who does not tolerate any excuses.

As reported by Sports Brief, Scholes in particular contends either Chelsea's Tuchel or his Tottenham counterpart Antonio Conte would be ideal for the Man United hot seat.

According to the United icon, Tuchel could come in and ‘strike fear’ into the under-performing United flops, while Conte, who was linked with the job after the exit of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has what it takes to lift the club out of their malaise.