Departing Liverpool sporting director Julian Ward is emerging as favourite for Ajax's director of football post.

The Dutch giants are still searching for a permanent replacement for Marc Overmars, who left this post a year ago.

It was announced in November that Ward would be leaving the Reds at the end of the current campaign, barely months after succeeding Michael Edwards.

AD is reporting Ward has reached 'contract negotiations' with Ajax and is 'in pole position' to be appointed in the coming weeks.