Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu – Published Tuesday, 02 June 2026, 14:01 / Updated Tuesday, 02 June 2026 14:19
Ajax on Tuesday morning reached an agreement with Miguel Angel Sanchez Munoz (50), known as Michel, for a contract that runs until the summer of 2028.
The Madrid-born coach will succeed interim Oscar Garcia. The following days will be dedicated to finalizing the documents, after which Michel's appointment will be officially announced.
Michel, the coach preferred by the management of Ajax
By bringing in the technician, whose contract with Girona expires on June 30, Jordi Cruijff manages to sign one of his favorite coaches, according to De Telegraaf. On the list of the technical director there were also names such as Pep Guardiola, Peter Bosz and Arne Slot, but they were not available to take over the “lancers”:
Michel is a highly respected coach in Spain who made history in 2024 with little Girona by qualifying for the Champions League. Michel's Girona were relegated from La Liga this season.
Michel is a coach who promotes attacking football, being able to easily change the tactical system: 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3 or 3-2-4-1.
In Spain, he is described as a sociable coach and a good communicator, but at the same time demanding. His style of play demands a lot of effort from the players, both physically and mentally. Donny van de Beek and Daley Blind, who worked with him at Girona, had words of praise for him.
Another big factor in Cruijff's decision was that the Spaniard had shown stability at his previous clubs, Rayo Vallecano and Huesca, and now at Girona. On average, he was in charge of a club for almost three years, and at Girona he collected 221 matches.
Michel will arrive at Ajax with his own staff.
Season far below expectations for Ajax
Those from Ajax had a season far below expectations. The “lancers” ranked 5th, with 56 points. The champion was rival PSV, with 84. Feyenoord, NEC Nijmegen and Twente also ranked above Ajax.
The Dutch giants have a bid of 187 million euros, according to transfermarkt.com, having the third best bid in the league.
