Hiddink being lined up to replace van Gaal

Guus Hiddink says he is line to take over from Louis van Gaal as coach of the Netherlands after the World Cup.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss has announced that he was in talks with the Dutch FA over the makeup of his backroom staff.

“I am working with the KNVB to create a coaching team around me. We will need a few days or maybe a couple of weeks,” he said.

“It will be a great team. I will not be a free-wheeling coach. When I do something I want to do it as well as I can - otherwise I would not do it.”

Former internationals Jaap Stam, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Giovanni van Bronckhorst have all been linked with possible roles in Hiddink's technical team.

Hiddink was also in charge of the Netherlands between 1994 and 1998, taking the side to the semi-finals of the World Cup in France where they lost to Brazil on penalties.

He has also coached South Korea, Australia, Russia and Turkey and was most recently in charge of Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala before resigning last July.

Hiddink was last month appointed as an adviser to the coaching staff of top-flight PSV Eindhoven until the end of the season.

Netherlands have been drawn in Group B for the World Cup in June, alongside champions Spain, Chile and Australia.

Van Gaal, whose contract with his country expires after the tournament in Brazil, has already hinted he would be open to an approach from Tottenham Hotspur once his stewardship of his country concludes.