Agreement in place: Arsenal legend set to return to Gunners next season

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Arsene Wenger of Arsenal

Former Arsenal star Marc Overmars has an agreement in place to quit Ajax and take up a role with the Gunners next season, according to reports.

The Dutchman is currently director of football at Ajax, a role he has held since 2012, but Tuttomercatoweb claim he’s set for a switch to north London.

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The report does not specify what kind of role Overmars would take up at Arsenal, but it would seem logical for it to be not dissimilar to the one he holds at his current club.

Overmars has been linked with a similar move back to the Gunners in the past, with the Independent reporting back in April that he was not particularly taken by the rumours.

‘I think there is a list with some names and I might be on it, but it’s not that exciting yet,’ he was quoted by the Independent.

‘I know the club pretty well, I have always kept in touch with Arsenal. So in that respect it is not surprising, because I’ve had a few good years.

Marc Overmars during his Arsenal days

‘But right now we’re focused on Ajax. I just signed here for four years.

‘I had certain ambitions as a player, and I have those as a director of football. We’ll see what happens in the future.’

Overmars spent just three seasons with Arsenal as a player, but made a lasting impression after his superb individual displays guided the club to the double in his first season in England.

The former Netherlands international netted 40 times for Arsene Wenger’s side in his three years on their books, before earning a big move to Barcelona.

‘OVERMARS NA DIT SEIZOEN NAAR ARSENAL' —————————————————— Geloofwaardig of niet, maar het laatste gerucht van TuttoMercatoWeb wilden wij jullie niet onthouden. Het Italiaanse medium meldt namelijk dat directeur spelersbeleid Marc Overmars na dit seizoen vertrekt bij Ajax en zich gaat aansluiten bij Arsenal. Voor Overmars zou het een terugkeer betekenen bij de club waar hij eerder al speelde. Tussen 1997 en 2000 speelde hij honderd duels voor The Gunners en scoorde daarin 35 keer. Daarna vertrok hij voor 88 miljoen gulden (40 miljoen euro) naar FC Barcelona, wat hem toen de duurste Nederlander aller tijden maakte en nog steeds is. In april liet Overmars nog weten dat er niets speelde, maar dat hij zich wel gevleid voelde met de interesse. 'Ik denk dat er een lijst met namen is en daar zal ik wellicht opstaan, maar zo spannend is dat niet. Ik ken de club erg goed en ik onderhoud nog altijd contact met de mensen bij Arsenal. In dat opzicht is het niet zo raar, ik heb er een aantal goede jaren gehad.’ —————————————————— ? @AjaxMediumTV —————————————————— #AjaxMedium #Ajax #Arsenal #overmars

A post shared by AFC AJAX MEDIUM (@ajaxmedium) on

Arsenal are yet to appoint anyone in a director of football role, though in May the Telegraph claimed it was something chief executive Ivan Gazidis was keen on, with Overmars’ name again mentioned at the time.

If Tuttomercatoweb’s claims are anything to go by, the 44-year-old could now be heading back to Arsenal at long last.

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