Newcastle United are drawing up a massive contract offer for Ajax coach Erik ten Hag.

The Daily Mail says Newcastle would be willing to pay the highly-rated boss a salary of £6million after tax - totalling a gross wage of just over £11m.

The eye-watering package would put Ten Hag behind Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, who earn £20million and £15m a year respectively, in the order of English football's best paid bosses.

However, Ten Hag is said to have reservations over leaving Ajax for the new project at Newcastle. The 51-year-old has established a reputation as one of Europe's best emerging coaches and turned down the opportunity of replacing Jose Mourinho at Tottenham during the close season.

Indeed, leaving Ajax for Newcastle, particularly given their current Premier League predicament, would represent a significant risk for a coach whose profile is on an upward trajectory.