Ajax and Girona manager Michel 'closing in on full agreement'

According to ESPN, Ajax and Míchel are discussing the finer points of the deal, mainly the length of the Spaniard's contract and the makeup of his coaching team. Both sides are keen to finalise a full agreement soon.

Míchel has been linked with Ajax throughout the season, a campaign in which the Amsterdam giants struggled to secure European football under three different managers.

John Heitinga was dismissed in October, after which interim boss Fred Grim was moved aside in March. Former Barcelona attacker Óscar García eventually led Ajax to the UEFA Conference League qualifiers after a fifth place finish and a play off victory.

It remains unclear what role Óscar García, who joined the club as manager of Jong Ajax, will have at Ajax.

Míchel guided Girona to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history in 2024, but the Catalan side were relegated from La Liga last weekend. Girona ended the season in 19th place with 41 points, one point behind Levante, Osasuna and Real Mallorca.

Girona supporters criticised Míchel, whose team failed to win any of their final eight league matches, for being distracted by a potential move to Ajax during a heated relegation battle. The 50 year old manager was also linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen, who reportedly turned down the deal because of Míchel's "poor grasp of the English language."

Míchel will join Ajax during the first full transfer window under newly appointed technical director Jordi Cruyff, whose extensive Spanish network stems from his time at FC Barcelona.

Cruyff, son of legendary Dutch footballer and manager Johan Cruyff, moved to Spain at a young age with his father and spent most of his life there, particularly in Catalonia.