Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is in intensive care after suffering a bleed around the brain.

The 52-year-old, who stepped down as Ajax’s chief executive earlier this year, is in a stable condition in hospital, according to his former club.

“On Friday, Edwin van der Sar had a bleeding around his brain,” the Dutch side said in a statement.

“He’s currently in hospital in the intensive care unit and is in a stable condition.

“Once there is more concrete information, an update will follow.”

The club added: “Everyone at Ajax wishes Edwin a speedy recovery. We’re thinking of you.”

Van der Sar started his career at Ajax, where he was part of the club’s “golden generation” that famously clinched the Champions League in 1995.

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He later moved to Italian side Juventus, before joining Premier League side Fulham in 2001.

After a successful spell with the west London side, he moved to Manchester United in 2005, where he won a second Champions League trophy.

He also made 130 appearances for the Dutch national side.

Considered one of the best goalkeepers of his generation – and by some as one of the best of all time – Van der Sar also won a series of individual awards, including Best European Goalkeeper, twice, and UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year.

He retired from professional football in 2011 and joined the Ajax board a year later, before becoming chief executive in 2016.

He stepped down in May, saying he needed to “take some distance, to get some rest, and to do other things”.

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“We have experienced wonderful things together, but it has also been an incredibly tough period,” he said after a difficult season for the Eredivisie side, who finished 12-points behind champions Feyenoord – having not finished out of the Dutch league’s top two for 14 years.

Van de Sar has been married to his wife Annemarie van Kesteren since 2006 and the couple have two children.

In December 2009, while he was at Manchester United, Van de Sar’s wife collapsed with a brain haemorrhage.

The goalkeeper was given compassionate leave at the time by then United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

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