Arsenal must wait until summer to hire Marc Overmars as sporting director

Marc Overmars will not leave Ajax mid-season to become Arsenal’s sporting director, but he remains favourite to fill the role and could still join in the summer.

The club’s head of football, Raul Sanllehi, is leading the hiring process for the key appointment following the recent exit of recruitment chief Sven Mislintat.

Roma’s director of football, Monchi, is also being considered because of his fruitful working relationship with Arsenal manager Unai Emery at Sevilla.

Marc Overmars will not leave Ajax mid-season to become Arsenal’s sporting director

With Emery’s season looking increasingly troubled, with four defeats in the last seven games, there had been talk that Arsenal wanted to make an appointment before the end of the season.

But former Gunners winger Overmars could only join in the summer, with Ajax still involved in the Champions League and a title race with PSV Eindhoven.

Both men have strong records in the transfer market, which Arsenal recognise they will need to utilise for a squad overhaul.

One of Overmars’s many successes at Ajax was the signing of Frenkie de Jong, from Willem II for £900,000, whom the club sold to Barcelona for £66 million.

Monchi is also being considered because of his fruitful working relationship with Unai Emery