 Ajax would fail to qualify for both the Champions League and Europa League group stage in the 2017–18 season, and Marcel Keizer would be sacked before the turn of the year.On 21 December 2017, it was announced that FC Utrecht manager, Erik ten Hag, would replace Keizer with imminent effect.Ajax would go on to finish runner-up in the 2017–18 Eredivisie for the fourth consecutive year, falling four points shy of PSV for the title.