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Dennis Bergkamp has emerged as the prime candidate to inspire Arsenal’s next generation of stars.

The Gunners legend, who left the club almost seven years ago, is not being ­targeted as the man to eventually ­succeed manager Arsene Wenger.

The Emirates ­hierarchy see the Dutchman as the perfect replacement for Liam Brady in the ­Arsenal academy. They want him to inspire and guide a new generation of stars after Brady retires next year.

Bergkamp is Ajax’s ­technical ­manager, working alongside first-team coach Frank de Boer and also implementing the skill and technique standards for the entire club.

Bergkamp, who will be immortalised with a statue outside the Emirates, is seen as a vital part of Arsenal’s blueprint for the future. They will go continental and aim for a football philosophy in which they ­produce more young players along the lines of Europe’s supreme development clubs, Barcelona and Ajax.

In recent years the academies of those two have set the blueprint for the rest. As well as helping young ­players fulfil their potential, they have developed a unique style of play for their youngsters within their teams.

Alongside that tactical blueprint has been the development of superb coaches and managers. Both clubs ­followed the philosophy and ­vision of the Dutch master, Johan Cruyff. He was Barca coach in 1992 when their youth policy was established.

The 65-year-old Dutch legend is now on the advisory board at Ajax and was instrumental in Bergkamp landing his job there. Bergkamp and his mentor are in regular contact, exchanging ideas and plans.

Pep Guardiola also names Cruyff as his biggest inspiration. The former Barca coach, who takes over at Bayern Munich next season, said: “Cruyff was my tutor in many ways. Everything we have produced and done at Barca, he started. We took that to an even higher level at the national team.’’

After Bergkamp’s playing career ended in 2006, he linked up with the former World Player of the Year and took the job of development manager at Ajax. Cruyff and Bergkamp caused a revolution at Ajax after the club had had endured a period of decline. They are now on course to win their third Dutch title in a row.

Young players at the club are drilled according to the “individual skills ­programme”, as Bergkamp ­emphasises Cruyff’s view that players must have total awareness of what’s required when they arrive in the first team.

But Ajax are not yet prepared to let ­Bergkamp go.

Technical director Marc Overmars, another former Gunner, is hoping to keep him at the Amsterdam club for one more year. That would suit ­Arsenal, who need Brady’s replacement in place by May 2014.

“Getting Dennis to sign a new deal is our first priority,’’ said Overmars.

Moving back to London would be no problem for Bergkamp as his children were born and brought up in England and attended schools in London.

Meanwhile, Arsenal plan to raid QPR for hitman Loic Remy if they are relegated.