Image Credits: Getty Images
Edwin van der Sar is one of the best goalkeepers in Manchester United history.
Sir Alex Ferugson puts him second only to Peter Schmeichel.
It’s easy to see why.
Van der Sar was integral to the great team in the late 2000s.
United fans will never forget his heroics in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final when he saved Nicolas Anelka’s penalty to win the shoot-out for the Red Devils.
That was just one of three UCL finals that he competed with at the club.
All despite moving to Manchester at the tender age of 35 years old.
Since hanging up his boots, Edwin van der Sar has moved into the boardroom.
In 2012, he took on a role of marketing director at the club that gave him his professional debut – Ajax.
Four years later, he took on the role of CEO for the Dutch giants.
And it coincided with their best run in many years.
While working as CEO, Ajax went to the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-final, where they were knocked out in the last minute of the game by Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite suffering heartache, Ajax won a lot of support for their exploits and van der Sar was heavily praised for the work he’d done to get the club to that stage.
When Erik ten Hag became United manager, many felt van der Sar would follow.
Manchester United had seemingly fallen behind the competition since David Gill left his role as CEO.
Edwin van der Sar seems to be a perfect fit for that role.
Van der Sar left his role at Ajax in 2023 and suffered a brain haemorrhage shortly after. Fortunately, it seems that he’s fully recovered and eager to get back involved in the beautiful game.
And the former Netherlands number one has commented on whether he’s going to return to Old Trafford soon.
Edwin van der Sar on Old Trafford return
Speaking on the Humberto a Paris show, van der Sar smoothly dismissed suggestion that a return to Manchester United would be the ‘most logical’.
“I think there are enough Dutch people around at the moment”, van der Sar says.
United have Dutch staff including the likes of Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rene Hake as well as players such as Joshua Zirkzee and Tyrell Malacia already at the club.
“Let those men get to work on the field,” van der Sar concludes.
So it seems that United isn’t on the horizon for Edwin van der Sar just yet.
But the United legend does say that he wants to get back into the game.
“I do think I want to take the next step.
“I will have to find a new goal.
“For a long time, I had the goal of taking Ajax to the top of Europe. Now I have temporarily lost my goal, but I will find it at some point.”
It seems that it won’t be long before we see Edwin van der Sar back in football. But it might be a while yet before we see him return to Old Trafford in any official capacity.
For Dutch viewers, you can see the full video below.
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