Mitchell Van Der Gaag, a Dutch professional football coach and former player who played as a centre-back, currently the assistant manager of Ajax, is set to join newly appointed Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag, as Red Devil’s assistant coach.
According to the report by renowed football journalist, Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are working on the details of the contract to bring Mitchell van der Gaag at the club, as part of Erik ten Hag coaching staff.
Van der Gaag has been considered an important addition for months, and agreement getting closer, as talks ongoing, Fabrizio Romano revealed on Tuesday 10th May 2022.
What Will Mitchell van der Gaag Bring To Manchester United?
Something that may go unnoticed by the fans but will be greatly appreciated amongst the squad is Van der Gaag’s ability to speak several languages fluently. Especially welcome will be his knowledge of Portuguese thanks to his coaching training in Portugal. The Manchester United squad has a flurry of Portuguese-speaking players, including star man Cristiano Ronaldo, and they will all benefit from this uncommon quality.
Mitchell van der Gaag tends to focus his football philosophy on control and domination of ball possession and will try to integrate this style of play upon his arrival in the summer no doubt.
Formerly a centre-back in his playing days, he is known to be a coach who poses importance on an organised defensive structure as well as man-management. The hands-on approach in terms of coaching that he and Erik Ten Hag possess will benefit the players. This also aligns with his understanding that as football develops, so do styles of both coaching and management and therefore coaches need to develop to get the best out of players.