Louis van Gaal has told Erik ten Hag to avoid becoming Manchester United’s next head coach because they are a ‘commercial club’.
Ten Hag is currently at Ajax but has been interviewed by the Red devils as they search for a long-term successor to Ralf Rangnick.
Van Gaal, meanwhile, spent two years at Old Trafford and was sacked just two days after guiding the team to victory in the FA Cup final in 2016.
Ten Hag is believed to be one of the frontrunners to become United’s new manager this summer window alongside Mauricio Pochettino.
But Van Gaal, who is set to lead Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar this year, feels Ten Hag should turn down a move to United.
‘Erik ten Hag is a great coach and that is always good for Manchester United,’ Van Gaal said at a press conference on Monday.
‘But Manchester United are a commercial club, so it’s a difficult choice for a coach. He would be better going to a football club.’
‘I’m not going to advise him, he’ll call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club.’
When asked about his future this month, Ten Hag said: ‘At the moment I am only working with Ajax and have no further thoughts on the future. ‘The focus is on this season. Right now I shouldn’t be the theme. The theme is: how are we going to win games?’
Ajax are currently two points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table but were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Benfica this month.
