MARC NO TO REDS LINK-UP

ERIK TEN HAG has emerged as Manchester United’s top managerial target – but Ajax director of football Marc Overmars has rejected the chance to follow him to Old Trafford.

United believe Ten Hag ticks all the boxes to bring back the glory days.

And the 51-year-old has made it clear he is ready to seek a new challenge as he seeks to guide Ajax to a third successive Dutch title and Champions League glory.

But United’s hopes of linking Ten Hag with the man who gave him his first managerial job at Go Ahead Eagles a decade ago before teaming up with him at Ajax in 2017 have been ended by Overmars’ decision to sign a new four-and-a-half-year contract.

Overmars has rejected three offers to return to the Premier League in recent months.

Arsenal wanted their former winger to move to the Emirates and Newcastle asked him to mastermind a St James’ Park revival.

Now it has emerged that United’s agreement to bring in Ralf Rangnick only materialised after Overmars told them he was staying in Holland.

Marciano Vink, a former team-mate of Overmars for club and country, said: “Overmars has had big chances to change recently – Newcastle

United, Arsenal, Manchester United.

“For Ajax, it is a brilliant thing that he has not gone there and has decided to sign a new deal.

“If he had taken the job of director of football at United, it would have been perfect for Ten Hag.

“But Manchester United is a very difficult club to work for right now.

“At United, the focus of the whole world is right on top of you, they expect you to perform miracles from day one with all their star players.”

Ten Hag prefers to work alongside a director of football so that he can concentrate on coaching.

It is a quality that has put him firmly in the frame at Old Trafford.

Mauricio Pochettino, also a target, would demand a bigger say on t he transfer market and player contracts.

Rangnick is an admirer of both men.

NEW DEAL Overmars is staying at Ajax