Marc Overmars to leave Ajax and move to Arsenal next season

Marc Overmars is to end his association with Ajax after the end of the season and move to Arsenal. The Dutch club's sports director is reportedly disillusioned with life at the Dutch giants and wants to embark on a new challenge.

Tutto Mercato Web reports that Overmars wanted a challenge in the Premier League and has already reached an agreement with Arsenal for next season. Overmars is the director of football at Ajax and it is believed that his move to the Emirates will be in a similar capacity, as has been widely demanded by Arsenal fans.

The former midfielder has served as director of football with former club Ajax since 2012 and was reportedly courted by Everton in 2016 as they sought to bring a more continental approach to the club. In 2013, he revealed that he would be keen on a return to north London to take up a behind-the-scenes role.

Arsene Wenger has been bombarded by fans to recruit a director of football to ease his workload at the club, an idea that has been vehemently abhorred by the Frenchman.

"Director of football? I don't know what it means," a dismissive Wenger hit out after the end of last season at a press conference staged before meeting Southampton, reported football.london . "Is it somebody who stands on the road and directs players right and left? I don't understand it, I never could understand what director of football means."

The north London club have struggled on the transfer front of late, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil set to leave the club after the expiry of their contracts. Both players are all but certain to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the current season and will be free to talk to foreign clubs as of 1 January.

The Gunners are going through a good run of form at the moment, winning three and drawing one of their last four games after a disastrous start in August.