Mitchell van der Gaag, Erik ten Hag’s trusted assistant, has reportedly left Manchester United after two years of service. Van der Gaag had previously worked with Ten Hag during his time at Ajax. The club has recently undergone a revamp of their coaching staff, with former player Ruud van Nistelrooy returning to Old Trafford and Rene Hake joining the team.
It is still unclear whether Van der Gaag’s departure was Ten Hag’s decision or a result of the leadership team’s and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s end-of-season review. Van der Gaag was well-liked by the United players, as he was fluent in five different languages, including English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
While the club has not released an official statement regarding Van der Gaag’s exit, it is believed that Steve McClaren, a part of Ten Hag’s coaching staff and close with Sir Dave Brailsford, Ratcliffe’s right-hand man, will be staying at United.
The coaching staff will be unveiled once Van Nistelrooy and Hake’s contracts and work visas are finalized. The Red Devils have already returned to training and are scheduled to play Rosenborg in their first pre-season friendly in Norway on Monday, followed by a match against Rangers in Edinburgh on July 21st.
Later in the month, Ten Hag’s squad will embark on a two-week pre-season tour of the US, where they will face Arsenal in LA, Real Betis in San Diego, and Liverpool in Columbia. They will then return to the UK for the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 10th.
Among the players included in the trip are Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, and Marcus Rashford, who were previously left out of England’s Euro 2020 squad.
In addition to the coaching staff changes, the return of Ruud van Nistelrooy to United’s coaching staff is expected, adding further experience and expertise to the team.