De Lang joined Ajax as their head of international relations and scouting in 2023 after a six-year spell at Manchester City, where he was a youth scout and loan player manager. The 44-year-old Dutchman also served as Ajax's interim caretaker technical director between November 2023 and April 2024, following the departure of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
"It has been an intensive and educational period of two and a half years. For most of that time, I really enjoyed my work," De Lang said in a statement on the Ajax website.
"Due to recent developments, I have decided to reflect on my next step, and we have agreed that I will step down from my role as of January 1, 2026. I am proud to have worked for Ajax and am grateful to my colleagues for the cooperation. I hope the club will be successful again soon.''
Transfer disagreements
According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, De Lang decided to leave Ajax after he felt his opinions on incoming transfers weren't being heard enough. De Lang reportedly disagreed with the loan transfer of Liverpool midfielder James McConnell, whose loan is set to be terminated before the January transfer window.
The free-agent move for former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has played just one game since May 2024, was reportedly the final straw for De Lang, whose relationship with the soon-to-depart technical director, Alex Kroes, has deteriorated.
"'It is a shame for us that Kelvin is leaving. We worked pleasantly with him," said director of football Marijn Beuker about De Lang.
"During the transfer windows, it was challenging for everyone involved to arrive at the right decisions together, often due to limited resources. In that respect, he always fulfilled his role well. He has further professionalised the scouting department and improved internal cooperation."
The departure of De Lang leaves Ajax with four prominent openings in their organisation. The Amsterdam giants recently fired manager Johnny Heitinga, after which technical director Alex Kroes announced his imminent departure from the club. Earlier, in September, club commissary Danny Blind announced his departure from the Supervisory Board, the club's second-highest organ.
Ajax are reportedly close to bringing in former Barcelona director Jordi Cruyff, who should bring a Spanish head scout with him to Amsterdam.
"He leaves behind a strong scouting team, with whom we are now working hard in preparation for the upcoming window," added Beuker.
"We know Kelvin’s ambition, and I am certain that he will be able to continue his career successfully at another fine club. We wish him every success.''