Ajax sign reported Arsenal target Overmars to contract extension

Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars ended speculation over a potential move to Arsenal on Monday by signing a contract extension with his club through June 2024.

"There are still plenty of challenges at Ajax and I'm having a good time here," the 50-year-old Overmars said after signing the extension, as translated by BBC Sport.

"We are taking steps with both the youth academy and the first team and we still want to show a lot."

The former Arsenal winger had emerged as a favorite to be offered the club's technical director position, according to Sam Dean of The Telegraph. However, he ultimately chose to stay in the top tier of Dutch football.

As a player, Overmars spent three years at Arsenal, appearing in 143 matches while helping the club win the Premier League and the FA Cup in 1998 before joining Barcelona in 2000. He then became Ajax director of football in 2012.

His extension means Arsenal's search for a technical director will continue. Recently, former AS Roma technical director Monchi had supposedly emerged as a top candidate for the role at Arsenal before leaving the Italian club following its elimination from the Champions League. However, Arsenal were dealt a blow on Sunday when Monchi decided to join Sevilla as their sporting director, returning to the club where he'd spent the bulk of his career.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal head of recruitment Sven Mislintat left the club in February after reportedly discovering that he wouldn't be considered for the technical director role, leaving a hole in the backroom.