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Brian Brobbey admits Erik ten Hag contact and says Manchester United his ‘dream club’ – but he’s in no rush to leave Ajax

07 Sep 2022, 07:23 by Sam May · talkSPORT

Ajax forward Brian Brobbey has revealed Manchester United is his ‘dream club’ and confirmed that Erik ten Hag tried to recruit him in the summer.

Ten Hag raided his old club to bring both Lisandro Martinez and Antony to Old Trafford.

Ten Hag could be reunited with Brobbey at Manchester Unitedgetty

The Premier League side had also previously been linked with defender Jurien Timber, and it has now been revealed Brobbey was close to a move to United.

Brobbey, 20, was given his Ajax debut by Ten Hag in 2020, before leaving for RB Leipzig on a free transfer after his first senior campaign.

However, he returned to the Dutch champions on loan in January and the Netherlands U21 international fired seven goals in U21 appearance.

That prompted Ten Hag, his boss at Ajax last season, to reach out about a move to his new club Man United.

But Brobbey says he has unfinished business at Ajax and opted to join them on a permanent deal in the summer – although he would clearly relish a move to Old Trafford in the future.

He told Voetbal International: “Dream club? Manchester United. Erik sent me a message, yes, to congratulate me, and to tell me that he would like to have me at Manchester United. But I’m not finished at Ajax yet, I want to show something here first.”

He added: “I absolutely wanted to go to Ajax. Erik also wanted to work with me, texted once if I was open to it, but I thanked him nicely,” he told Voetbal International after sealing his transfer from Leipzig.

Brobbey is impressing for Ajax since his returnGetty

“I wanted to go back. My friends here, Ajax’s playing style, it just wasn’t finished yet.

“I first have to really succeed here as a striker of Ajax. That’s also how the past six months felt, when I played here on a rental basis. I really had the feeling afterwards: I really have to go back. Believe me, in a few years I will provide a nice transfer fee for Ajax and then the club will have made a nice profit.”

Should Brobbey continue to impress for the Dutch champions, he could soon be plying his trade at Old Trafford and follow in the footsteps of Martinez and Antony.

The latter made his debut, and also netted his first goal for Ten Hag’s side as United defeated Arsenal 3-1 on home soil in their last league match – which made it four consecutive victories.

Anhony will be looking to make it two-from-two when United face Crystal Palace in their next clash at Selhurst Park on Sunday.