Man Utd transfer gets greenlight from electric striker, but Ratcliffe tipped to veto dream Ten Hag deal

Ajax striker Brian Brobbey is ‘very keen’ to reunite with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United in the summer, though TEAMtalk can reveal why the move could collapse at the behest of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Brobbey, 21, previously revealed he was a wanted man during Ten Hag’s first transfer window at Man Utd.

“Manchester United wanted me, but I really wanted to return to Ajax permanently,” Brobbey said.

“To make this possible, my agent Jose Fortes Rodriguez even waived his hefty resale percentage.

“Erik ten Hag called me from Man Utd. My agent could’ve got his millions and I could earn a multiple of my Ajax salary. But our decision was made: we wanted to go to Ajax.”

Brobbey was on the books of RB Leipzig at the time of Ten Hag’s appointment at Old Trafford. He’d been sold by Ajax the year before, though when his Leipzig spell soured, was loaned back to Ajax for Ten Hag’s last six months in charge.

However, rather than then follow Ten Hag to Man Utd in the summer of 2022, Brobbey elected to return to Ajax.

Fast forward to the present day and Ten Hag looks like he’ll get the chance to reunite with Brobbey after all.

Man Utd in constant contact with Brobbey’s camp

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reported on Saturday that contact between Man Utd and the player’s camp never broken off.

Ten Hag reportedly wants to sign the Dutch international this month, though United’s small transfer budget makes a deal difficult. Furthermore, Ajax will resist a mid-season sale anyway.

However, a summer swoop certainly looks possible, with Plettenberg suggesting Brobbey to Man Utd is primed to become a ‘hot topic’ again at season’s end.

Brobbey has been a rare bright spark in a difficult campaign for Ajax this term. The lively frontman has scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 26 matches across all competitions.

Now, a fresh update from Football Insider has added further fuel to the transfer fire.

READ MORE: Game over for Man Utd quartet signed for £270m; Casemiro next club named, winger exits to incur heavy losses

Brobbey desperate to join Ten Hag’s Man Utd

They state Brobbey is ‘very keen’ to work with Ten Hag once again and ‘would jump at the chance to join Man Utd this year’.

Clearly, Man Utd won’t meet much resistance from the player’s end if acting on their interest.

It’s reaffirmed Ten Hag remains a ‘big admirer’ of the striker and Brobbey’s determination to play in the Premier League is documented.

However, there is a wrinkle in the ointment, with Plettenberg noting Brobbey to Man Utd likely hinges on Ten Hag still being the manager.

Ten Hag has repeatedly signed players either directly from his former club Ajax, or who have connections to the Amsterdam side.

Lisandro Martinez and Antony were both signed directly from the Dutch giant. Christian Eriksen had trained with Ten Hag’s Ajax during his recovery from cardiac arrest. Ten Hag also managed Andre Onana at Ajax prior to his one-year stint with Inter Milan.

Brobbey could be next to walk that well-trodden path, though there are growing concerns Ten Hag might be removed from his position as Man Utd manager in the summer.

Ten Hag sack decision key to Brobbey’s future

TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Monday that Ten Hag’s position beyond the current campaign is under genuine threat.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is springing major change and is determined to appoint the ‘best in class’. Omar Berrada will arrive from Manchester City to become United’s new CEO. Elsewhere, Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth is wanted for the sporting director’s role and Paul Mitchell is being eyed to become the new head of recruitment.

The changes could also trickle down to the managerial position and few would argue Ten Hag has overseen a successful season so far.

We learned potential successors have been tentatively sized up, with Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi and Francesco Farioli among the names that have been continuously floated by those close to the club. The full details of our exclusive can be found here.

In any case, if Ten Hag does bite the bullet in the summer, it stands to reason Man Utd will abort any plans to sign his former Ajax alumnus Brian Brobbey.

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