Ajax star Brian Brobbey has revealed the reasoning behind his decision to snub a move to Manchester United and instead remain in the Netherlands.
Brobbey spent the second half of last season playing on loan at the Johan Cruyff Arena under Erik ten Hag. The Dutch manager left Ajax at the end of that campaign to take over as boss of the Red Devils.
Since making the move to Old Trafford, Ten Hag has focused on the Eredivisie for recruits for his new squad. Left-back Tyrell Malacia has already arrived, with Antony and Cody Gakpo also among his list of targets.
But one player he has definitely missed out on is Brobbey, who has revealed that he rejected a move to United. Having scored seven goals in 11 Eredivisie games under Ten Hag, Brobbey joined Ajax for £13million from RB Leipzig in the summer.
Before he returned to Amsterdam, United had been linked with making a move of their own for the striker. But despite Ten Hag getting personally involved, Brobbey opted to join Ajax instead.
"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. I wanted to go back. My friends here, Ajax's playing style, it just wasn't finished yet," he told Voetbal International.
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"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.
"There are more good players who play striker: Dusan Tadic, Steven Bergwijn, Davy Klaassen, Lorenzo Lucca. At the moment I am a basic player, but I just have to perform, with good play and goals. Then the trainer can't ignore me and I start in the team."
Brobbey has started two of Ajax's three Eredivisie games so far this season, coming off the bench on the opening day. He inspired a comeback against Fortuna Sittard in that match, scoring once and assisting another goal.
Ten Hag meanwhile has struggled to bring in an alternative target to the 20-year-old. Ajax are holding firm against selling Antony, with PSV Eindhoven also reluctant to allow Gakpo to depart for United.
He has instead been forced to make-do with the players who were left at the club when he arrived. Christian Eriksen, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo have all been deployed in the central role, to mixed results, with Ten Hag still looking for at least one new attacking player.
He only has eight days to do that though, with the transfer window slamming shut next Thursday. Brobbey meanwhile will be hoping to start on Sunday when Ajax travel to Utrecht, as they look to extend their lead at the top of the Eredivisie table.
