Why Brobbey rejected Ten Hag and Man Utd transfer

Suraj Radia

• 24 Aug 2022 11:08 CDT
• 3 min read

Ajax striker Brian Brobbey has revealed just why he turned down Manchester United this summer after receiving a message from Erik ten Hag.

The 20-year-old re-joined his boyhood club for a fee of €19 million including add-ons after spending the second half of last season on loan from RB Leipzig, having only just left Ajax for them last summer.

United were believed to be interested in the Dutchman and Brobbey confirmed he had been asked to join the club by Ten Hag but he turned the United boss down as he had unfinished business with Ajax.

Brobbey told Voetbal International : "I absolutely wanted to come back to Ajax. Erik also wanted to work with me again, he texted me once to see if I was open to it.

"But I thanked him nicely and told him I wanted to go back to Ajax. My friends are here, Ajax’s playing style, it just wasn’t finished yet.

"I first have to really succeed here as a striker in the Ajax first team. That’s also how the past six months have felt, when I played here on loan.

"After that I really had the feeling that I needed to come back."

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United still searching for Brobbey alternative

Ten Hag has been desperate to sign a forward ever since his arrival at Old Trafford in May and the club were keen to sign a young striker to slowly blood into the first team.

Brobbey was one of those options after scoring seven times in 11 games for Ajax last season but his rejection saw United move onto other targets.

Benjamin Sesko was heavily pursuied by United and the club were in talks with RB Salzburg over a £55m move but he has since agreed to join their partner club Leipzig next year for just €24m.

United have since struggled to secure forwards, with a bid turned down for Bologna's Marko Arnautovic, however they are set to return to Ajax in an attempt to sign winger Antony.

Ten Hag has already conducted business with his former club this summer with the signing of Lisandro Martinez for £52m and it is believed they could make a €100m bid for Antony.

The Brazilian has been one of Ten Hag's top targets this summer and a deal could be struck, with the player missing training as well as Ajax's last game in order to force a move.