Ten Hag warned over long-term Man Utd target by Dutch legend

Suraj Radia

• 6 May 2023 16:11 BST
• 2 min read

Erik ten Hag has been cautioned over the pursuit of one of his long-term transfer targets this summer, with former Manchester United icon Jaap Stam giving his verdict on Ajax’s Jurrien Timber.

Timber is expected to leave Ajax this summer after initially turning down a departure last summer, when Ten Hag was pushing for the defender to join him in moving to Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old extended his contract with the Dutch side for a further season but recently spoke of his desire to move on this summer, with United and Liverpool said to be leading the chase for his signature.

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Stam, who played for United between 1999 and 2001, believes that Timber could struggle in the Premier League as he lacks the aggression of Lisandro Martinez, who ended up reuniting with Ten Hag in Manchester.

“The big advantage of United for Timber is that he already knows Ten Hag and vice versa,' Stam told Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad.

“The intentions of the trainer are molded to Timber but, make no mistake, this is the Premier League. There you can't always be dominant, you have to duel much more against strikers like Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

'Everyone with Martínez was also curious about that. It turns out that he did it. With Timber, I just miss a certain amount of aggression – sometimes even being a little mean – in his game.

“That is also, for example, in giving the first blow before the real duels come. Martinez does. You can learn that too, but it has to be in you.”

Stam: Timber should play at right-back for United

In spite of his comments, Stam believes United is ‘the most logical option’ for Timber due to their need for a defender, although the Dutchman is hopeful his compatriot will feature at right-back under Ten Hag.

“You also have to look at combinations and chance of playing time,” Stam said. “United can still use a defender, also because Raphael Varane is prone to injury and Harry Maguire is still disappointing.

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“In England I therefore see United as the most logical option. And what I would like to see more often is Timber as a right back.

“There are at United, where Dalot without the ball and Wan-Bissaka on the ball don't quite convince me yet.”