Ajax are set to block Arsenal’s bid to steal Marc Overmars away from them to become the club’s new technical director.

Marc Overmars

For a while, Marc Overmars was the front runner for Arsenal’s new Technical Director job, and the suggestion is that he’s still in the running. However, the Mirror claim in an exclusive that Ajax will block any move from the North London club for their former player.

The Dutch side are using the money Overmars has helped them generate to make sure he sees out the final 18 months of his deal, and they won’t accept any offer of compensation from Arsenal.

Goal reported earlier this month that Overmars was fast becoming the favourite for the Arsenal job. A spokesperson for Ajax reportedly denied that Arsenal had approached Overmars for the job, but Goal claimed the ex-Arsenal star was still the ‘main candidate’.

Raul Sanllehi is reportedly leading the search for a technical director, looking for someone with a history in football and also with experience of the technical side of the game. The new hire should be able to discuss tactics and a football vision for the club with Unai Emery.

For the time being, it seems unlikely that person is going to be Overmars. Let’s have a look at the alternatives.

But Overmars is not the only one in the frame for the job…

Monchi

According to Saturday’s Daily Mail, Arsenal are set to make a move for Monchi, who would cost around £1m to release from his current deal in Italy. The report suggests the director himself is leaning towards ending his time with Roma, as he’s wanted to work in England all along.

Roma are already searching for replacements themselves, suggesting they aren’t holding out much hope that the 50-year-old will stick around.

The Mail claim Monchi will have around £45m to spend on transfers this summer if he joins The Gunners, which would be boosted by any sales Arsenal make.

Spanish outlet AS report something similar, claiming Monchi would be given ’50 million’. They don’t make it clear whether that’s pounds sterling or euros, but given the location of the source, it’s probably euros.

The Spaniard isn’t the only candidate for the technical director role, but he does appear to be the closest to a move right now.

However, there’s still possibly one more option…

Edu Gaspar

When it was first suggested Arsenal were likely to appoint a new technical director last month, fellow former Gunner Edu Gaspar was tipped for the job.

The Mirror claimed Arsenal wanted to add another figure to their current structure at the top and that they’d been linked with former midfielder Edu in the role. According to the report, they’d discussed the job with him, but ‘nothing is imminent’.

However, later unconfirmed reports suggested Edu would turn down the job to keep his current position in the Brazil set up. The 40-year-old’s contract doesn’t expire until the end of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and that competition is a big reason for him to want to stay.

We’ll see if the Brazilian really does decide to turn down Arsenal’s offer if and when they make one to him.