Van der Sar Opens Up on Manchester United Executive Talks
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has publicly revealed that he engaged in discussions regarding a potential executive return to the club. The Dutch legend, who enjoyed a successful six-year spell at Old Trafford, shared details of these conversations in a recent interview.
Playing Career and Post-Retirement Path
Van der Sar joined Manchester United from Fulham in 2005, making 266 appearances and keeping 135 clean sheets before retiring in 2011 at age 40. Shortly after hanging up his gloves, he returned to his former club Ajax, taking on a director role. His leadership saw him promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2016, a position he held until stepping down in 2023 following Ajax's failure to secure Champions League qualification with a third-place finish in the Eredivisie.
Discussions with Manchester United
Now 55 years old, van der Sar disclosed that he might have had an opportunity to rejoin Manchester United in a comparable executive capacity. He confirmed holding two separate rounds of talks with then-United executive Ed Woodward. Speaking on The Overlap, van der Sar stated, "Yes, I spoke to Ed Woodward twice about taking up a role at Manchester United, but at that point, I didn't think my job was finished at Ajax with the path we were going on – we were not there yet." He added, "But I had two good conversations with him on two separate occasions about a role, probably alongside him." Ultimately, he opted to remain with Ajax, feeling his work there was incomplete.
Current Goalkeeper Situation at Old Trafford
The goalkeeper position has been a significant topic of discussion at Manchester United in recent seasons. This summer, Andre Onana moved to Turkish club Trabzonspor on loan, with Senne Lammens arriving as his replacement. Van der Sar has praised Lammens' performances, endorsing him as a long-term presence at the club. He remarked, "He's doing well. Of course, it's only been seven or eight months. But it certainly looks like he knows the physicality of the Premier League – I see him coming for balls in the penalty spot and he claims them with confidence, makes saves when needed, not looking to make saves when not necessary." Van der Sar continued, "I'm not here day-to-day and I don't see all of the games, but he looks like he has a good package with him to be here [Manchester United] for a long time."
Health Scare and Personal Recovery
Weeks after leaving Ajax, van der Sar experienced a serious health scare, suffering a bleed around the brain. He has since made a full recovery and is enjoying a break from professional football. Reflecting on this period, he said, "What was nice for me was that I wanted to have a rest, take a year out of football, go to some other clubs and learn some new things." He added, "Now it's almost three years ago, so I've had time to recover with no stress, no phone in my hand – just doing the stuff that I've wanted to do. Wake up when you want, walk the dog, go swim in the sea, go on holiday." Van der Sar also mentioned a two-month trip to New Zealand with his wife Annemarie, highlighting the personal joys he has embraced during this time away from the sport.
