Football
ESPN staff 8y

Ajax announce Frank de Boer departure by mutual consent

Frank de Boer has left Ajax by mutual consent after five-and-a-half years at the Amsterdam ArenA.

De Boer, whose contract was due to expire in July 2017, led Ajax to four Eredivisie titles but said on the club's official website that he had decided to move on because it was "time for something else."

The 45-year-old, who won five Eredivisie titles, the UEFA Cup and the Champions League as a player with Ajax, said he had enjoyed a "fantastic" time in Amsterdam and would keep many "beautiful memories."

However, his agent recently told NOS that the former Netherlands international "would love to join a club like Everton or Valencia" and De Boer said he was keeping an open mind on his future.

"I don't know yet what I'll do," he said. "A year without a club is one option. I'll see what comes my way."

Ajax director Edwin van der Saar said De Boer's decision was "no great surprise" given his ambition but praised him for his work and added: "We wish him every success in his future endeavours."

Ajax also announced that De Boer's assistant, Orlando Trustfull, will leave the club.

Ajax won the title four times in succession starting in 2010-11, but they finished second last season, 17 points behind PSV Eindhoven, and then lost out to the same opponents this time around after drawing with De Graafschap on the final day. 

Speaking after Sunday's result, De Boer had said: "We've failed to bring the title home ... This is a bad, terrible dream -- still hard to come to terms with, actually.

"We need to process this, but it will be a while before we can do that."

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