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Chelsea backed to appoint Ajax manager Erik ten Hag - ‘They can’t get this one wrong’
CHELSEA should should make Erik ten Hag their new manager if Maurizio Sarri leaves the club this summer.
Chelsea: Sarri to go to Juventus 'in matter of days' says pundit
That is the opinion of European football expert Julien Laurens.
Sarri has reportedly told Chelsea he wants to leave the club and take the vacant job at Juventus.
The Italian had a successful first season at Stamford Bridge in the end, leading the Blues to third in the Premier League as well as the Europa League trophy and the final of the Carabao Cup.
But it is claimed he wants to return to Italy just 12 months after leaving Napoli.
His English is perfect and Chelsea have got this amazing academy, with players like Mason Mount
And Laurens believes Ajax manager Ten Hag would be the ideal man to replace Sarri, especially due to the faith he has shown in younger players.
Ten Hag led Ajax to their remarkable run to the Champions League semi-final as well as the domestic double last season.
“It’s a huge summer for Chelsea,” Laurens said on talkSPORT.
“It’s a key time to decide what direction they go in this summer and with who they go into that new direction with.
“I think Sarri will go to Juventus, so the new manager will be massive. They can’t get this one wrong.
“Either they bring through their young players or they hope for the best and the transfer ban gets frozen so they can a bit of money.
“They could try to go for Erik ten Hag at Ajax.
“His English is perfect and Chelsea have got this amazing academy, with players like Mason Mount and others.
“You can always convince someone to leave, wherever they are.
“He might feel he’s taken this Ajax to the best of his ability, especially considering [Frenkie] De Jong and [Matthijs] De Ligt are going to leave, and probably [Hakim] Ziyech and a couple more.
“Maybe he feels this is the right time to go somewhere else?
“I’m not saying Chelsea will go for him or that he will say yes, but if that’s the direction you want to take, there’s no better man than Erik ten Hag to get all those young players through.”