Amsterdam: Marco van Basten has agreed to become the new Netherlands coach, the Dutch football association (KNVB) announced on Thursday.

The 39-year-old former international striker will replace Dick Advocaat, who resigned days after the Netherlands lost 1-2 in the Euro 2004 semi-final to Portugal.

The KNVB said on Thursday they had finalised a deal with Van Basten and his assistant John van’t Schip and the pair would be presented officially at a news conference on Monday.

The statement included no details of the contract but reports suggest Van Basten would be given a four-year contract.

After Advocaat’s resignation KNVB director Henk Kesler approached Johan Cruyff for advice and the Dutch soccer great recommended he recruit Van Basten and Van’t Schip.

Cruyff, who has never been in charge of the Dutch national side, has promised his support to the new coach.

Two more former Ajax and Dutch internationals, Rob Witschge and Stanley Menzo, have been approached to complete the technical staff.

If they accept the offer, the new Dutch coaching team will be made up entirely of players who won the 1987 European Cup Winners Cup in an Ajax side coached by Cruyff.

It will be Van Basten’s first head coaching role since persistent injury put an end to his playing career in 1995.

After seven years out of football, he joined the technical staff at Ajax in 2002, assisting Van’t Schip in coaching the reserve team. (Reuters)