Ajax has hired Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the team from Amsterdam reports. The former top striker is added to the technical organization of the club. Huntelaar will work immediately with technical manager Gerry Hamstra and head coach Erik ten Hag. The last two recently took over the duties of director of football affairs Marc Overmars, who left due to cross-border behaviour. Apart from Huntelaar’s appointment, Ajax is still looking for a new director of football affairs.
From 1 July 2022, Huntelaar will also follow programs that will allow him to further develop in his new role off the field. The former professional, who ended his impressive football career at Schalke 04 this summer, signs a contract that runs until July 1, 2024. Apart from this appointment of Huntelaar, the Supervisory Board and the management of Ajax have jointly set themselves the goal of to appoint a new director of football affairs in the summer of 2022.
Huntelaar put an end to his football career last summer and had no official function in football since then. “I’ve always been interested in things that happen off the pitch at a club and I’d like to broaden my knowledge in that regard,” said Huntelaar. “That is possible in the trajectory that Ajax offers me. I am happy to be back and I am curious about what will happen in the coming period. I am also working on my trainer’s diploma, the knowledge that I gain during the course comes to me Also useful for what I will be doing at Ajax. I am also especially looking forward to working with the existing organization, to contribute to the topics I think I have a view on, but also in which I want to develop further.”
Edwin van der Sar explains Huntelaar’s appointment. “Ajax has kept in touch with him since the transfer from Klaas Jan to Schalke,” said the general manager. “We were aware of his interests and his ambition to eventually become technical director at a professional club. For this reason, he has already had a look behind the scenes with us a few times since the summer and for example meetings of the management and attended the Supervisory Board. Ajax stands for talent development and that is where Klaas Jan’s new role fits in. In consultation with him, we put together a development program in which he will, among other things, shed light on international scouting led by Henk Veldmate and a role in the technical consultation, about the composition of the selections of Ajax 1 and Ajax. and that he has a clear opinion of his own, which I am convinced that, even if he is new to this role, will give it immediately.”
Huntelaar played for Ajax from the 2017-2018 season to the beginning of 2021 and also played for the club in the period from 2006 to 2008. Huntelaar made his debut in Amsterdam on January 15, 2006 in the Ajax-NEC (1-1) match and played a total of 257 official matches, scoring 158 goals. He became national champion with Ajax in 2019. In addition, as an Ajax player, he won the KNVB Cup in 2006, 2007 and 2019 and the Johan Cruijff Scale in 2007 and 2019.