The 42-year-old Madrid-born coach departs Girona after five seasons in charge, having transformed the Catalan club from a Segunda División side into a Champions League participant before a difficult final campaign that ended in relegation back to the second tier.
Cruyff, appointed as Ajax's technical director in February 2026 and the son of Ajax legend Johan Cruyff, identified Míchel as the ideal fit for a club seeking to rediscover its identity after years of decline. Cruyff described him as "ambitious and demanding" and said the Spaniard's footballing philosophy aligned naturally with what Ajax demand.
Míchel spoke directly about the challenge ahead.
"It feels good to be here. I am proud to take this next step in my career. Ajax is a big name in Europe, a club that has always produced young, talented players.
"Jordi knows me from my work in Spain and we have spoken together about the club's philosophy, about how I work and how that fits in. He has expressed full confidence in me.
"Together with the other people within the club, we are starting a new challenge. The aim is to get Ajax back to where it belongs, and I have every confidence that we will succeed."
Ajax finished outside the European places in the Eredivisie this season before qualifying for the Conference League through the play-offs, beating FC Utrecht on penalties in the final round. Cruyff has signalled an intention to bring in between 10 and 15 new players this summer, marking one of the most significant squad rebuilds in the club's recent history.
Míchel's record in Spain was extraordinary in its trajectory before the setback of relegation with Girona. He joined the club from Rayo Vallecano in 2021, won immediate promotion to La Liga, and then guided Girona to the Champions League in their second top-flight season — a competition appearance that had never previously featured in the club's history.
He succeeds interim head coach Óscar García, who guided the team to Conference League qualification before Cruyff's arrival accelerated the search for a long-term appointment.