Marc Overmars interested in Newcastle's director of football role
Marc Overmars, who is Ajax's director of football, is interested in taking up the same role at Premier League moneybags Newcastle.
The Magpies are now one of, if not the, richest club in the world following the conclusion of a takeover backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and there are expected to be widespread changes in the North East as the club first look to stave off relegation before launching an assault on Champions League qualification.
Steve Bruce has already been relieved of his duties as manager, and 90min understands the club's overhaul will continue with the removal of managing director Lee Charnley.
A new boss is yet to be installed at St James' Park, with talks continuing with a number of candidates, but one person who is keen to join Newcastle's revolution is Overmars - who has been Ajax's director of football for close to a decade.
90min has learned that Overmars' representatives have indicated he's interested in joining Newcastle, though there's been no official contact or approach from the club. Dutch outlet De Telegraaf corroborate his interest in the role and suggest an appointment could be made in January or February, should he be the preferred candidate of the Magpies board.
Overmars is no stranger to working in England, although his only experience of the Premier League is as a player. He was a key figure in Arsene Wenger's successful early years at Arsenal, playing a pivotal role in their 1997/98 Premier League and FA Cup success.
He left the club in 2000 to join Barcelona in a £25m deal, making him the most expensive Dutch player in history at the time, but his time at the club was dogged by persistent injuries. Just four years into his adventure in Spain, Overmars was forced to retire - bringing down the curtain on his career aged just 31.
Off the field, his near ten-year spell as Ajax's director of football has seen the Dutch giants re-establish themselves as the dominant force in the Eredivisie, while they've also made more of a splash in European competition.
Ajax reached the Champions League semi-finals during 2018/19 before collapsing against Tottenham in dramatic fashion, and were beaten finalists in the Europa League two years before.
Overmars was linked with the director of football role at Arsenal previously but ruled himself out of contention - something he's not doing on this occasion with Newcastle.