Ajax are set to hire Gerry Hamstra as a right-hand man for Marc Overmars, which could provide the option for the former Arsenal winger to move to north London as has been linked previously.
Overmars initially became a youth coach at Ajax following his retirement from playing. However, in July 2012, he became the director of football of the Dutch club and has masterminded their success ever since.
Their journeys to Champions League semi-finals, three league titles, and inordinate success in the transfer market has been brilliantly navigated by Overmars.
However, earlier this season, it was reported that Overmars could leave the club at the end of the season.
According to Oriol Domenech in December, Overmars has "decided to leave the club in June" because "he thinks he's already finished his cycle with Ajax".
And now, per Dutch outlet VI, Ajax are set to appoint Hamstra, the former technical manager at SC Heerenveen where he left earlier this week, as Overmars' right-hand man.
While no agreement has reportedly been made between Overmars, Ajax, and any potential new club he could move to, there are inevitable links with Arsenal.
In 2019, football.london exclusively revealed that Overmars wanted the technical director role at the Emirates before eventually being overlooked in favour of Edu Gaspar.
And earlier this season, director of football operations Huss Fahmy departed the club, with CEO Vinai Venkatesham admitting that the club will need to find a replacement.
After years of turmoil in the management structure of the club throughout the post-Arsene Wenger era, with Ivan Gazidis, Raul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat all having come and gone in recent years, Venkatesham said that the structure would now be simplified.
According to reports from the Arsenal Fans' Forum in December, Venkatesham said: "We have simplified the structure. The technical team – Per M [Per Metesacker], Mikel, and Edu. Raul [Sanllehi] won’t be replaced – Huss will be."
That, of course, leaves a place for Overmars to slot into the management structure.
Overmars was the top dog at Ajax and it might be difficult to squeeze both him and Edu into the club's structure behind Mikel Arteta.
But if Overmars is keen to return to his former club, this summer could present a potential opportunity to bring him in.
And with Hamstra now in place at Ajax for the remainder of the season, a natural successor to Overmars at Ajax is already in the pipeline.
