Newcastle told to ‘stop calling’ director target as long-term deal put in place
Eredivisie club Ajax have told Newcastle to ‘stop calling’ them over the availability of director of football Marc Overmars.
The Dutchman, who made 100 appearances for Arsenal during his playing days, has been at Ajax since 2012. He has helped to oversee the development of players such as Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek, just to name a few.
Overmars’ huge success in the Netherlands saw Newcastle come calling for his signature earlier this year. They were hoping to make the 48-year-old their new director.
Ajax boss Erik ten Hag was also linked with the manager role before Eddie Howe took charge on November 8.
However, Overmars will not be moving to St James’ Park after penning a new long-term contract with Ajax. It will see him remain at the Johan Cruyff Arena until June 2026.
When revealing the news, Ajax’s official channel tweeted: “Stop calling Marc.”
Stop calling Marc
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) December 8, 2021
The chief said: “I still feel very excited by my work and get a lot of satisfaction out of it. The cooperation with my fellow board members is very good, as well as with the people at the Toekomst (the Ajax sports complex) with whom I work together in the fields of scouting, youth, transfers, and the like.
“I have a feeling that my work at Ajax is not done yet, so I would like to continue here.”
Newcastle’s search for a new director will continue. They could turn to Ramon Planes, who left Barcelona in November amid rumours of a switch to the Premier League club.
He would be an impressive arrival, having worked in football administration for more than 20 years.
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Newcastle hero tells Magpies to sign three players
Meanwhile, former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee reckons the Magpies need to bring in three top-quality stars to avoid relegation.
During a recent interview, Lee said: “I would say Kieran Trippier, James Tarkowski and Jesse Lingard.
“Lingard would score goals, it’s what Newcastle need. West Ham are probably desperate to get him back, he was unbelievable for them. He’s got energy, he gets around the pitch and he’ll get on the end of things and score goals.
“Tarkowski, he’s been in England squads, he’s a good defensive player, strong, quick and a bit of a leader.
“I’ve always liked Trippier, they’re the players you could get and they’d want to come to Newcastle. That’s important.
“We don’t want players coming to Newcastle just for the money, but players who want to play for this club and play for these fans. If we get those types of players in, we’ll be okay.”
READ MORE: West Ham factor to play ‘key role’ in ousting Newcastle for €20m creative spark
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