Sunday 9 September 2018 18:27, UK
Edwin van der Sar has appeared to rule himself out of the running for the new technical director role at Manchester United.
The current Ajax general director, who won the Champions League and four Premier League titles as United's No 1, was reportedly a candidate for the new role - charged with revamping the club's scouting and recruitment structure.
But he has described the report as "nonsense" and committed his immediate future to Ajax, where he has helped progress a successful recruitment model of developing and selling on promising young players.
"I saw it (the report) a few weeks ago in the press, but that story about United is nonsense," he was quoted as saying on the weekly Inside Ajax program on Ziggo Sport in the Netherlands on Friday.
"I think I have a two-year contract. Ajax is my club and I would like to stay longer. The success we strive for and want to achieve is beautiful."
Sky Sports News reported late last month that United had identified FA technical director Dan Ashworth and RB Leipzig head of recruitment Paul Mitchell as two potential candidates for the role.
The new technical director's remit will be to revamp United's already sizeable scouting network and build a new philosophy at the club, where players are not bought at the top of their value.
Sky Sports News understands that an appointment is not imminent and discussions continue over the hiring of what will effectively be the club's first sporting director.
Manager Jose Mourinho said last month that he should perhaps be described as "head coach" rather than a manager, while repeating his dissatisfaction with his club's lack of transfer activity in the summer window.
He said: "That's football, that's football management, I think football is changing and probably football managers should be called head coaches. I think we are more the head coach than the manager."
Since rejoining Ajax as staff in 2014, Van der Sar has seen the development and sales of players such as Jasper Cillessen to Barcelona, Davinson Sanchez to Tottenham and, this summer, Justin Kluivert to Roma.
