Erik ten Hag would reportedly be reluctant to leave Ajax mid-season should Manchester United decide to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 51-year-old continues to be linked with the United managerial post as Solskjaer looms closer to the exit door at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag has been in charge of the Dutch giants since 2017, where he has guided them to two Eredivisie titles, as well as the semi-final of the Champions League in 2019 where they were beaten by Tottenham.
And according to The Independent, numerous sources say ten Hag has the upmost respect for his current employers and is said to be unwilling to leave them high and dry.
The same report says Ten Hag’s loyalty to Ajax was a problem Spurs encountered when they were faced with the possibility of bringing him to north London earlier this year.
The Ajax boss currently has just over 18 months remaining on his current deal at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Ten Hag’s side are currently second in the league with 26 points – one behind PSV – with a game in hand over their rivals.
Ajax are flying in the Champions League after four wins from their four group stage games, which leaves them top of Group C with 12 points, six ahead of second place Borussia Dortmund.
United will not want to see another top manager pass them by after Antonio Conte became the latest to do so last week.
The former Chelsea boss took over the helm at Spurs following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo.
Meanwhile, Solskjaer is on the cusp of losing his job after United’s disappointing display against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the derby on Saturday.
Eric Bailly’s own goal gifted City the lead after just eight minutes, before Bernando Silva crept in at the back post to nudge home Joao Cancelo’s cross minutes before half-time.
The result leaves United lurking in sixth with 17 points from their first 11 games, nine behind leaders Chelsea.
Speaking after the game, Solskjaer admitted his United side have taken a step backwards and are not at the level they were towards the end of the previous campaign.
“We started to look a proper team at the end of last season and we have to get back to that,” Solskjaer said.
“We had a couple of good results before this – Atalanta and Tottenham – and today was a big step back.
“We still don’t trust ourselves with the ball and we don’t find the angles and sometimes that is also the team you play against. We sometimes made the wrong solutions, sometimes the right solution but the wrong execution.
“It is very disappointing and it feels like after last week we have made a step or two forwards results-wise and then a big step backwards. It is a way of losing we don’t like. When you lose a game against a good team you want to see a better Man Utd team than that.”