7 Ajax Players Frank De Boer Could Sign For Newcastle United
From the Netherlands to NE1...
Christmas may be over but Newcastle fans are readying themselves for a belated gift; Alan Pardew leaving St James' Park.
The 53-year-old Magpies boss is the bookies' favourite to replace Neil Warnock at Crystal Palace following the Yorkshireman's sacking last week.
The club's silent treatment to rabid media reports of Pardew's exit is deafening; the controversial manager refusing to speak to the press immediately following Newcastle's 3-2 win yesterday (with additional reports he has declined the same request today).
Pardew's potential flight south (for more than just the winter) is long overdue. Newcastle owner Mike Ashley could have sacked his puppet on numerous occasions over the last two-and-a-half years but it looks as if, ironically, Pards is turning his back on the man that plucked him from League One obscurity.
With confirmation of Pardew's exit looking likely soon, attention has already turned to who could fill the seemingly vacant hot seat at St James' Park. One of the early front runners is Ajax manager Frank de Boer who continues to impress over in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Since being appointed in 2010, the 44-year-old has won almost 60% of his games. He has delivered four Dutch league titles and makes sizeable strides in the Champions League each season. Two seasons ago, de Boer's side took four points off Manchester City in the group stages. This season however, de Godenzonen finished third in a group that included Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain and will have to settle with Europa League football in 2015.
In recent years, Newcastle have signed both Vurnon Anita and Siem de Jong from the four-time Champions League winners. Here are seven more potential signings that could make their way to NE1 if de Boer takes charge.
7. Ricardo van Rhijn
The defender, who can play right back or centre half, has been linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester Untied.
The 23-year-old has made 12 appearances for Holland and would surely be a better option to have than Mike Williamson.