Dennis Bergkamp has left his post as assistant manager at Ajax, potentially opening the door to a return to Arsenal.

Ajax relieved Bergkamp of his duties on Thursday, after sacking head coach Marcel Keizer. Ajax released a statement confirming the news, and explaining the decision.

Whilst it’s common for assistants to lose their job when a head coach is sacked, it seems Ajax let Bergkamp go for much more than that.

The club statement explained: “The club’s leadership finds there is inadequate confidence in them to fulfill the ambitions of Ajax. The disappointing sporting results have also contributed to this decision.

 

“With Dennis Bergkamp [member of the Technical Heart, the decision-making core group at Ajax], there is also a difference in opinion over the implementation of technical policy.”

Journalist Priya Ramesh tweeted that tensions have been growing between the Dutchman and those in charge at the club. He was allegedly involved in disputes with Wim Jonk and Peter Bosz before they both left the club.

Priya also notes that Marc Overmars and Bergkamp disagreed over the appointment of Marcel Keizer. Since the board went with Bergkamp’s choice, and now they’ve decided to sack him, it makes sense that they’d look back at the campaign to hire him in the first place.

Ramesh went on to say the 48-year-old’s time at Ajax probably doesn’t make him the best candidate for Arsenal manager. However, he does seem to have had a positive influence on young attackers at the club.

The Gunners have made a number of appointments involving ex-players. Assistant manager Steve Bould, club ambassador Robert Pires and coach Jens Lehmann all played for the club in the past.

Arsenal also announced that club captain Per Mertesacker will become the new head of the academy at the end of the season. As for other backroom changes made recently, the Gunners made Huss Fahmy the new Head of Contracts over the summer, and Sven Mislintat took over recruitment.

Arsenal also hired Raul Sanllehi as Head of Football Relations. Perhaps the man with a stature outside the Emirates Stadium could be next to return.