From Edwin van der Sar to Jaap Stam: the football stars who have turned out for both Manchester United and Ajax

We take a look at five prominent stars to have graced both clubs

Edwin van der Sar spent nine years at Ajax and ended his career at United (Getty)

Manchester United and Ajax lock horns in Wednesday’s Europa League final at the Friends Arena.

For Jose Mourinho's men, it's a make-or-break game with a place in the Champions League on offer.

As for Ajax, Peter Bosz’s side finished as runners up to Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, meaning that, unlike United, their Champions League place is secure regardless of the result in Stockholm.

Two of the continent's most iconic clubs, United and Ajax both enjoy a rich European history - and have shared a number of top players over the years.

Here, we take a look at five prominent stars to have turned out for both of the European giants:

Jesper Olsen (Ajax 1981-84, Manchester United 1984-88)

The Danish winger first joined Ajax in 1981 and became synonymous for both his pace and trickery but also for his part in the “passed penalty” routine he devised with legend Johann Cruyff. In an Eredivisie match against Helmond Sport in 1982, rather than shoot for goal Cruyff passed a spot-kick to Olsen, who played it back to Cruyff to tap in from close range.

After winning two Dutch league titles as well as the domestic cup, Olsen joined a United team who at the time were managed by Ron Atkinson. He helped the side win the 1985 FA Cup before Atkinson placed him on the transfer list after a training ground bust up the following year. However, the manager was sacked soon after and replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson, who gave Olsen another opportunity to resurrect his career in Manchester. He remained at United for a further two years before leaving for French side Bordeaux in 1988.

Edwin van der Sar (Ajax 1990-99, Manchester United 2005-11)

The goalkeeper is regarded as a legend at both clubs after being present for two of Ajax and Manchester United’s most successful spells. Having made his debut for the Dutch side under former United boss Louis van Gaal, Van der Sar went on to win four Eredivisie titles, three Dutch Cups, the UEFA Cup and the 1995 Champions League during a nine-year spell as the club’s first choice shot-stopper.

Following spells at Juventus and Fulham, the Dutchman was brought to Old Trafford by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005. A glittering six-season spell in Manchester followed, with the veteran helping United win four Premier League titles, two League Cups and the club’s third European crown in 2008.

He was on the losing side for a further two Champions League finals, both against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, before retiring in 2011.

Jaap Stam (Manchester United 1998-2001, Ajax 2006-07)

The now-Reading manager became the most expensive defender in history when he joined United in a £10.6m deal from PSV Eindhoven in 1998. He proved an instant hit at Old Trafford, wining the Premier League in each of his three seasons at the club, while also forming part of United’s iconic treble-winning squad of 1999.

Jaap Stam before a Manchester United game in 1999 (Getty)

However, a fall-out with Ferguson in 2001 ended with the manager selling Stam to Lazio, although the former United boss has since admitted he regrets his decision. Five years later, he returned to his homeland to sign for Ajax from Milan. After helping his new club win the Dutch Cup in his first season in Amsterdam, Stam announced his retirement a short way into the following campaign.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax 2001-04, Manchester United 2016-present)

It remains to be seen what the next move in the Swede’s glittering career will be, but fans of both clubs will be left with fond memories of the 35-year-old when he decides to hang up his boots.

A fresh-faced Ibrahimovic earned his first move away from his homeland by joining Ajax from Malmo in 2001. During his three-year stint in Amsterdam, he helped the club win two Eredivisie titles, the Dutch Cup and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, scoring a number of remarkable goals - such as the one below - along the way.

However, the superstar forward also courted controversy in the Netherlands. A dressing room bust up with teammate Mido famously ended with the Egyptian throwing a pair of scissors at Ibrahimovic’s head, while a rumoured long-running feud with club captain Rafael van der Vaart came to the boil in August 2004.

During a friendly match between Sweden and Holland, Ibra injured van der Vaart while battling his way past three Dutch players on the edge of the penalty area. Van der Vaart subsequently accused his teammate of deliberately hurting him, with the fall-out creating such a tense atmosphere within the Ajax camp that Ibrahimovic was then sold to Juventus on transfer deadline day.

Ibrahimovic will watch tonight's final from the sidelines (Getty)

Following spells with Juve, Inter, Barcelona, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, Ibra arrived at Old Trafford last summer for his first taste of English football. Despite his advancing years he has proven an inspired signing by Jose Mourinho, scoring 28 goals and claiming 10 assists this season.

A cruciate knee ligament injury sustained against Anderlecht last month, however, has both placed his career in doubt and robbed the striker of a reunion with his former club this evening.

Daley Blind (Ajax 2008-14, Manchester United 2014-present)

Tonight’s match in Stockholm promises to be an emotional occasion for Blind, who came through Ajax’s youth system before making his first team debut in 2008.

The Dutch international spent six years in his boyhood club’s senior side, making 143 appearances and winning four Eredivisie titles.

Blind was brought in by LVG (Getty Images)

Newly appointed United boss Louis van Gaal, who Blind had previously worked with while on international duty, then persuaded the player to join him at Old Trafford. There he has remained ever since, playing in a variety of positions and providing valuable versatility to Jose Mourinho during United’s injury crises this season.