Ten Hag reignites Man Utd interest in pair of Ajax minions as Atletico prey on Newcastle FFP woes

Erik ten Hag is still trying to get his Ajax band together with a former striker and centre-back on his Manchester United shortlist, while Trippier isn’t the only Newcastle star piquing the interest of a European giant.

A MAN UTD ‘DREAM’ COME TRUE

One would have thought the €95m signing of Antony and what’s been at best an inauspicious Manchester United career for the winger thus far may have Erik ten Hag to swear off Ajax players entirely, but not a bit of it. The man’s obsessed.

Lisandro Martinez proved a rather more successful acquisition from the Dutch giants, to be fair, but he was also pretty awful at the start of the current campaign, which Ten Hag is reportedly trying to save through the signing of another of his former players, Brian Brobbey.

The 21-year-old admitted it was his “dream” to play for United when he was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford when Antony and Martinez joined in the summer of 2022, but Ajax ‘blocked’ his transfer, presumably reticent to become the Red Devils’ feeder club.

“Erik sent me a message, yes, to congratulate me, and to tell me that he would like to have me at Manchester United,” Brobbey revealed in September 2022, and while that interest appeared to go cold until now, with United focused on bringing Rasmus Hojlund to the club, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claims it’s now been reignited.

Also joined by Bologna striker Joshua Zirkze ‘on the list’ for United, Plettenberg claims Brobbey is a target in the winter window.

He wrote on X: ‘News #Brobbey: Understand that Ten Hag has the idea to sign Brobbey in winter! Brobbey and ManUtd, it was a hot topic last summer. The contact never broke off Both have a high appreciation for each other.

‘At the latest in the next summer window, a transfer will be a topic again if Ten Hag stays as the coach. Ajax doesn’t want to sell him now. Contract until 2027. Brobbey and Zirkzee, on the list. #MUFC The 21 y/o striker this season: 13 goals and 4 assists in 25 matches.’

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ON DE LIGT

That’ll be Brobbey on bass then, but Ten Hag requires a drummer if he’s to get the whole Ajax band back together, and he’s reportedly got his eye on Matthijs de Ligt, who was again linked with United when the manager first arrived in 2022.

The Netherlands international was one of the key stars of Ten Hag’s Ajax side who took the Champions League by storm to reach the semi-final in 2019, before joining Juventus later that year and Bayern three years later.

But things haven’t gone to plan for Bayern, where De Ligt is currently the third choice centre-back behind Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae, and may soon be even further down the pecking order given Bayern’s interest in Barcelona star Ronald Araujo.

Metro claim the 24-year-old is not happy with his current game time and will consider a move away at the end of the season, and with United looking to overhaul their defence, his name is said to be near the top of their shortlist, according to ESPN.

Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane all look set to depart at the end of the season, while they will also listen to offers for Harry Maguire – despite his return to form this season.

The report claims Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo are also among United’s top centre-back targets.

PICKING OFF THE MAGPIES

Kieran Trippier’s ‘given the green light’ to join Bayern Munich, who are open to a loan with an obligation to buy, or indeed a permanent transfer, though Newcastle are standing firm.

Sky Sports claim the Magpies don’t want to lose their first choice right-back – understandable given their Premier League form and the fact Trippier has created the second-most chances of anyone in the top flight and has the third most assists.

And another European giant is reportedly looking to take advantage of Newcastle’s FFP conundrum – which sees them unable to buy players as they are at the limit for the rolling three-year period.

Atletico Madrid have approached them with a loan proposal for Callum Wilson, which has been rejected, but the Daily Mail claim Newcastle would be willing to listen to offers of a permanent deal for their striker.