As he assembles his Old Trafford backroom staff, incoming Man United manager Erik ten Hag has determined who will join him as his assistant manager, with Robin van Persie certain to play a key part.
Erik ten Hag will join Manchester United with his Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag, almost nine years after the Dutchman had a heart scare on the sidelines.
In September 2013, Van der Gagg was in charge of Belenenses in Lisbon when he became unwell during a game against his previous team Maritimo.
He was given an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, the same technology that allowed Brentford’s Christian Eriksen to return to action after suffering a heart arrest at the Euros. Van der Gagg has regular medical check-ups and has become an influential sounding board for Ten Hag at Ajax during the last three years.
The 50-year-old will join Ten Hag in Manchester after the Dutchman informed United that he preferred Van der Gagg to former Reds coach Steve McClaren as his assistant. Ten Hag also wants to hire Robin van Persie as a backroom assistant. Van Persie, who is now doing his coaching qualifications at Feyenoord’s academy, is hesitant about the offer.
Van Persie, who scored 58 goals in 105 games for United between 2012 and 2015, is keen to return to the Premier League, despite his family circumstances complicating matters. Shaqueel Van Persie, his father’s son, has just signed his first contract with Feyenoord, and the promising kid – who signed for Manchester City’s academy when his father was at United – is now training alongside his father in the Dutch club’s junior system. Dina Van Persie, Van Persie’s daughter, is a top showjumping competitor in Holland, which is another aspect he would consider.
McLaren, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant when United won the Champions League in 1999 and had two spells as manager of FC Twente in the Netherlands, when he led them to their first ever Eredivisie trophy, does not appear to be returning to Old Trafford. During the 2018-19 season, McClaren was the manager of Queen’s Park Rangers. He has worked with Derby County, who are led by Wayne Rooney, a former United player.