Erik ten Hag is a contender to return to Ajax after Francesco Farioli's resignation, technical director Alex Kroes  confirmed.

Ajax this week announced that Farioli had quit after just one season in the role, after a dramatic collapse saw the Dutch giant lose the Eredivisie title to PSV.

Ajax beat Twente 2-0 in its final game of the campaign on Monday, though PSV's 3-1 victory at Sparta Rotterdam ensured Peter Bosz's team retained the crown.

Farioli's side had been in complete control of the title race as recently as mid-April, holding a nine-point advantage over PSV with five games of the season remaining.

But heavy defeats to Utrecht (0-4) and NEC Nijmegen (0-3) preceded a 2-2 draw with 10-man Groningen, in which Ajax conceded a 99th-minute equaliser to Thijmen Blokzijl.

No team in any of Europe's top six leagues – the English, Spanish, Italian, German, French or Dutch top flights – had previously thrown away a nine-point lead at the top of the table with five games remaining.

Go Ahead Eagles boss Paul Simonis and Netherlands Under-21 coach Michael Reiziger have been touted to replace Farioli, but Kroes has not ruled out a return for Ten Hag.

"Erik ten Hag has been on the list for a long time," Kroes said. "He is well-known; he did a fantastic job when he was here. I spoke to him briefly on Sunday. He was in the Arena as a spectator."

Prior to joining Manchester United in 2022, Ten Hag led Ajax to three Eredivisie titles in just four full seasons in charge, also winning the KNVB Cup twice.

Ten Hag won 78 percent of his Eredivisie games in charge of Ajax (112/143), with Stefan Kovacs (88 percent, 60/68) the only permanent boss to boast a better record with the club.

Ten Hag's team also averaged 2.95 goals per league game. Ajax have only had a better record under Kurt Linder (3.28), Kovacs (3.03), Johan Cruyff and Marcel Keizer (both 3). 

Reflecting on Farioli's departure, Kroes added: "Francesco texted me from the bus that evening, saying, 'let's sit down together tomorrow'. 

"Then he said that he had serious doubts about whether he should continue."