Edwin van der Sar hails the qualities of Daley Blind ahead of Ajax move

Ajax general manager Edwin van der Sar has described Daley Blind as a ‘fantastic player’ ahead of his anticipated return to the club from Manchester United this summer. The Netherlands international has been with the Red Devils for the past four seasons but his stay is expected to come to an end in the coming days after Ajax agreed on a £14m deal to acquire his services.

In a report covered by De Telegraaf, Van der Sar said: “I think Daley is a fantastic player. He's multi-functional, can be a left-back, centre-half and a defensive midfielder. For Netherlands and for Manchester United, he played many good games. I think it's no secret that we [Ajax] are still looking for a central defender and, if possible, it would be a great addition for Ajax to have a player with the quality of Daley to fit in the team.”

Blind joined the Mancunian giants after a strong display for the Dutch at the 2014 World Cup and he was a regular in the United defenceunder former boss Louis van Gaal. However, with the appointment of Jose Mourinho two years later, the Dutchman found himself dropping down the pecking order and he managed just four league starts for the club during the course of the previous campaign.

As a result, Blind has not had much choice than to consider a new challenge away from Old Trafford and he now appears certain to leave the club after being left out of the travelling party for the pre-season tour of the United States. Aside from Blind, Matteo Darmian has also been heavily linked with a summer exit but so far, none of his suitors have come forward with a formal approach. The Italian’s future could be resolved following the club’s return from their pre-season tour.