Newcastle United are reportedly struggling in their efforts to take Erik Ten Hag away from Ajax, as the highly-rated Dutch coach is reluctant to enter a Premier League relegation scrap.
Ten Hag is currently in charge of an Ajax side sitting top of the Dutch Eredivisie and their Champions League group, with a 100 per cent record after three games.
This in sharp contrast to a Newcastle side that is still waiting for their first win of the season following a 3-0 defeat at home to Chelsea on Saturday.
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The Mirror reports that Newcastle's approach for Ten Hag is complicated by Barcelona's search for a new head coach following Ronald Koeman's departure and the prospect of potential interest from Manchester United, should they dispense with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
"Will it be Champions League or Championship? That is the question that bothers Ten Hag," a well-placed source told The Mirror.
"Right now, he is top of the group with Ajax in the Champions League and he can be sure of taking them into the knockout stages in 2022."
If Ten Hag does move to St James' Park, he could receive wages in the region of £2million a year - five times more than what he is currently paid at Ajax. He is also likely to have a huge transfer budget to build the squad he wants.
The 51-year-old is clearly a man in demand after rejecting the offer to replace Jose Mourinho as Tottenham Hotspur head coach in the summer, as well as jobs in Germany and Italy.
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Newcastle will hope that securing the services of Marc Overmars as director of football will boost their chances of landing Hag, but they also have Lucien Favre and Paulo Fonseca on their managerial shortlist.
Graeme Jones is currently in interim charge of the side, as the Magpies' quest for a first Premier League win of the season continues with a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Topics: Erik ten Hag, Premier League, Ajax, Newcastle United