Strife of BRIAN

Another Ajax player linked with Ten Hag... but Dutch masters Koeman, De Boer and Van Basten are critical of striker's ability

- TYRONE MARSHALL

THE idea of Erik ten Hag returning to Ajax to sign another player is hardly far-fetched, but you wonder how the key figures at INEOS would react if he does propose Brian Brobbey as the man to make up the shortfall in goals at Manchester United.

Brobbey made 32 appearances for Ajax before Ten Hag's exit and the striker has since left the club himself, only to return to Amsterdam from an ill-fated spell at RB Leipzig. He rejected an offer to join United in 2022, when he left the Bundesliga club, but reportedly remains on Ten Hag's radar.

There is no doubt United will have to sign a striker this summer, with Anthony Martial expected to leave the club when his contract expires.

Rasmus Hojlund's struggles in front of goal make another marksman a priority, although if the Dane can continue his recent good form it might change the remit for the kind of forward required.

That Ten Hag would look back across to the Netherlands for a potential signing is no real surprise. It's a market he has exploited since arriving at Old Trafford in 2022, but it's also the kind of manager-focused recruitment that INEOS might be keen to get away from.

Ten Hag's current status as a manager under pressure also makes it a risk. Signing more players from Ajax when the manager who wants those players could theoretically lose his job in the next few months makes no sense.