Marc Overmars has suffered irreparable damage to his heart after going into cardiac arrest last month.
Overmars was admitted to hospital on 30 December last year after suffering what was described as a "mild stroke". It has now emerged that the incident was more serious, with the former Dutch international's heart only being able to pump blood at 30 per cent of its normal volume.
It is believed that Overmars, who has been discharged from hospital and is now resting at home, will require at least a year to recover. The former Arsenal star will require medication for the rest of his life.
After suffering the incident last month, Belgian club Royal Antwerp – where Overmars is the current Director of Football – said that the 49-year-old was "doing well" but was medically required to rest for "a while".
Overmars is best known for his glittering playing career, as he represented the likes of Ajax, Arsenal and Barcelona. The ex-winger also made 86 senior appearances for the Netherlands, helping them reach the semi-finals of the Euros in 2000 and 2004.
A report from De Telegraaf in his native Netherlands now claims that a part of the ex-footballer's heart muscle has died, meaning that its capacity to pump blood to his body had been reduced by 70 per cent of its normal volume. Doctors believe there is a chance that Overmars can recoup a 'few' per cent of his heart's pumping function as he recovers.
An Antwerp statement last month read: "Marc Overmars, director of football affairs at RAFC, became unwell last night and was admitted to hospital with a mild stroke.
"Marc is doing well in the meantime but will have to take it easy for a while. Marc and his family focus on his recovery and do not wish to comment further. RAFC wishes Marc a speedy recovery!"
Heart attacks and strokes have quite a bit in common as they are both medical emergencies caused by a sudden cut-off in blood flow.
Heart attacks occur when blood flow to the heart is blocked, while a stroke is caused by a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain.
Overmars has remained involved in football since his retirement from playing in 2009; he was appointed as Ajax's director of football in 2012 and held the position for a decade before he was forced to stand down in disgrace in February last year.
Ajax revealed Overmars had sent a "series of inappropriate messages to several female colleagues". He admitted he was "ashamed" and deemed his behaviour "unacceptable".
Overmars added: "Last week, I was confronted with reports about my behaviour and how this has come across to others. Unfortunately, I didn't realise that I was crossing the line with this but that was made clear to me in recent days. I apologise.
"Certainly for someone in my position, this behaviour is unacceptable. I now see that but it is too late. I see no other option but to leave Ajax."
Overmars was handed an immediate return to football when he became Antwerp's director of football in March. The appointment was controversial due to his recent behaviour, as several sponsors cut ties with the Belgian club in the days following it – but Antwerp stuck with the appointment.
During his time at Ajax in an executive role, the club won four Eredivisie titles as well as two Dutch Cups. The club famously reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 and were one minute away from reaching the final before a late Lucas Moura winner for Tottenham.
That year, the Amsterdam giants eliminated Real Madrid and Juventus before falling just short in the final four – the first time they had reached the competition's knockout stages since 2004.
Overmars had a storied playing career that saw him star for Ajax and Barcelona either side of a successful three-year spell with Arsenal that saw him help Arsene Wenger's team win a Premier League and FA Cup Double in 1998.
