Ajax lining up destabilising raid on Arsenal for key Arteta man despite strong Rotterdam links

Arsenal assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg has reportedly emerged as an option to take over at Ajax, but only if he is surrounded by people who know the club well.

The Dutch giants are currently searching for a new manager after sacking Maurice Steijn this week following a woeful start to the season that’s left them in the bottom three of the Eredivisie.

However, at this stage it appears there a very few attractive options for Ajax to go for, with journalist Mikos Gouka claiming that Stuivenberg might have reservations about taking on the role at the Amsterdam ArenA.

Stuivenberg has been named as a potential target due to his links to Ajax legend Louis van Gaal, who is currently working in a consultant role at the club and knows the 53-year-old after they worked together at Manchester United.

Stuivenberg is considered a key man in Mikel Arteta’s coaching set-up and has played a major role in Arsenal becoming title challengers again.

Having made that impression, Gouka thinks that Stuivenberg could take the reins in Amsterdam but would need to select the right backroom team – that is due to the fact that he was born and brought up in rival city Rotterdam.

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Rotterdam links may play part in Stuivenberg decision

Speaking about the potential appointment, Gouka said: “I think of Albert Stuivenberg, although I don’t know if he would do it. He is also more of a Feyenoord boy than an Ajax boy.

“He sits very close to Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. But maybe he says: ‘I’m in a good position at Arsenal, I earn this and that and if all goes well, we’ll conquer the Premier League. Why should I go to Ajax? I’m also a Rotterdammer by nature’.

“Maybe that plays a role. You hear that name very rarely, while if you think of a Dutchman who can bring attacking football, then it might be possible.

“If you put a good staff around him with a large, prominent Ajax face in it, then I think it’s possible. The question is: are you looking forward to it as a trainer in an already lost season?”.

Losing his assistant manager so early in the early campaign would clearly be a big blow for Arteta, although it’s not completely clear what Stuivenberg’s thoughts are on taking the job and whether he would actually seriously consider it.

Arsenal are back in action on Saturday when they host Sheffield United in the Premier League.

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