According to Daily Sport, Míchel has taken over as Ajax manager, and the club plans to rebuild the squad around him, with Ter Stegen targeted as their primary goalkeeper option.

Ajax is confident in Míchel Sánchez, and they have good reason to be. The Madrid native has taken on a challenging but exciting task: awakening the sleeping giant and returning the club to its rightful place. With the support of Jordi Cruyff, his philosophy aligns with Ajax's values and football culture. Jordi Cruyff is the son of legendary Johan Cruyff and currently serves as Ajax's technical director.

Cruyff spoke about the former Girona manager: "I know him very well and have followed him for many years. His philosophy fits Ajax. The fact that he spent five seasons at the same La Liga club speaks volumes about his ability and commitment."

The technical director is working with the coach from Rayo Vallecano to execute a major squad overhaul, with over twenty players currently on the transfer list. Míchel has already conducted his first training session at De Toekomst. Ajax confirmed: "The Ajax first-team coaching staff has been finalized."

The club announced the details: "As previously announced, Míchel Sánchez has been appointed as Ajax's new head coach. He will be assisted by Juanvi Peinado Fernández and Alberto Garrido Martínez, while Carlos Balaguer Zamora has been appointed as goalkeeper coach."

Days ago, Ajax confirmed the departure of Óscar García Junyent. He will take on a fitness coach role with Polish club Pogoń Szczecin. Previously, he had temporarily managed Ajax's first team from March. The Sabadell native joined Ajax in early February as reserve team coach and youth academy manager. After being promoted to the first team, he became Ajax's first Spanish head coach in club history. Now, Míchel has taken his place.

As mentioned, Ajax's plan is to build an ambitious project around Míchel. The goalkeeper position is a top priority for strengthening, and Ajax's ultimate target is Marc-André Ter Stegen. Míchel is keen to coach the Barcelona player again, as Ter Stegen suffered an unfortunate injury at Carlos Tartiere stadium that ended his season early and cost him the opportunity to play in the World Cup.

Ter Stegen's Barcelona contract runs until 2028, and he knows he is not in Hansi Flick's plans. The consensus is to find a solution that satisfies both parties. Ter Stegen is willing, but his wages are the main obstacle to a deal. Barcelona could follow Girona's model: a loan move. Míchel wants Ter Stegen.

Separately, Blind is set to return to his beloved club. As reported by Sport in March 2025, Ajax tried to bring him back last summer, but Girona would not let him go without a convincing offer. Months later, Ajax approached him again during the winter transfer window, but Blind remained committed to the Catalan club. Therefore, all signs point to their reunion happening this summer after his contract expires, and it now appears that will come to pass.

One confirmed signing is Montserrat. This left-footed attacking midfielder came through Zaragoza's youth academy and joined Atlético Madrid's youth system in 2024. After signing in January that year, he won the 2024 youth championship and Champions League with Fernando Torres's Atlético Madrid youth team and made his first-team debut under Simeone. Notably, in a match against Levante in the first half of the season, he was the first youth player among ten debutants at that time.

Montserrat's departure from Zaragoza was somewhat controversial, and this season he has not secured regular playing time in Torres's Atlético Madrid youth squad. According to Matteo Moretto, his transfer to Ajax is complete, and he will sign a four-year contract.

He will be Ajax's second signing for the 2026-2027 season, with the first being Fouad Zahouani from Touarga Union Sport. The 20-year-old defender will begin a new phase at Ajax's youth academy in the Netherlands, where he will continue developing before pushing for first-team football. He came through the Mohammed VI Football Academy, one of Morocco's premier youth development centers, and was part of the squad that won the 2025 U20 World Cup.

Confirmed departures include Akpom, who will join Ipswich; Mannsverk, who will join Sparta Prague; while Takehiro Tomiyasu, Wout Weghorst, and Oleksandr Zinchenko remain without new clubs.

On Thursday, Míchel welcomed his new squad at De Toekomst and conducted an initial inspection. On Friday, the team had their first collective training session. On a day when the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute issued a red alert for extreme heat, Ajax scheduled their first training session in Amsterdam. Míchel participated, first gathering the players for a brief welcome address, then, as he did at Girona, joining in a rondo drill.

The Madrid coach has less than a month to prepare the squad for the season's first major challenge: the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Ajax will face either Vojvodina from Serbia or Ferencváros from Hungary on July 23.

Ajax's first friendly will be against Panathinaikos on Saturday, July 4. On July 10, AEK Larnaca will visit; on July 15, Ajax faces VfL Bochum; on July 18, they meet Olympiacos; after the first leg of the Europa Conference League qualifier, Ajax will host Burnley at Johan Cruyff Arena on July 26. On July 30, the team will play the second leg of this qualifying round.

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