Overmars could bring Ten Hag to Newcastle with him
Marc Overmars could bring Erik ten Hag to Newcastle if he is appointed director of football, according to reports.
The Magpies have been heavily linked with the former Arsenal winger, who holds the position at Ajax and has earned plaudits for his role in their recruitment and development of talent.
Overmars is understood to have received assurances that he will be provided with the necessary financial firepower to realise Newcastle’s ambitions, which are sky-high after the Saudi-backed takeover. The two parties are thought to be in discussions.
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According to the Daily Star’s sources in the Netherlands, one of his first moves could be naming Ten Hag the new head coach.
The Ajax boss has won two Eredivisie titles since his arrival in 2017 and famously guided a young side into the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019 – a 96th-minute Lucas Moura strike eliminating them from the competition.
He has since been courted by a number of top European clubs, such as Tottenham Hotspur, whom he rejected in the summer.
Ten Hag has almost three years left on his deal but can leave after just three months’ notice if he receives an offer, owing to a clause in his contract.
The Toon Army are on the hunt for a new manager after the departure of Steve Bruce, who was sacked following an eight-game winless run.
Ten Hag is an interesting option but also in contention are Paulo Fonseca, Eddie Howe, Lucien Favre and Roberto Martinez. Interim coach Graeme Jones will take charge of next week’s clash with Chelsea.
After Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, Jones told Sky Sports: “I’m pleased we got something out of it. We deserved that for our organisation, understanding and mentality.
“It’s far from where I want to be, on the ball in particular. On the turnover, our first pass could be better at times, but it was a solid place to start from. We’ll look to build and improve for as long as I’m doing this.
“Overall, I’m really pleased. It was a solid performance, particularly off the ball. On the ball, we need to be better, but that won’t happen overnight.
“I’m delighted in the end with a draw because it gives us somewhere to start from, but we wanted to win the game.”
