Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Ryan Gravenberch, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Transfers, Premier League, Bundesliga, Eredivisie, Erik Ten Hag
Ryan Sidle
Topics: Ryan Gravenberch, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Transfers, Premier League, Bundesliga, Eredivisie, Erik Ten Hag
Erik ten Hag really wants to add a midfielder or two to his Manchester United side this summer, and one of his targets has explained why he turned them down.
There's a lot of issues that need fixing for the new United boss, and it seems that midfield is his number one priority, as he tries to get Frenkie de Jong.
Previous reports have claimed that Ten Hag is wanting to add more than the one midfielder to his squad this summer, with Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic having left a team already short of options in the middle of the park.
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And it looks like De Jong wasn't the only midfielder that the 'new sheriff' was hoping to be reunited with at Old Trafford, as he apparently tried to sign Ryan Gravenberch.
The 20-year-old has signed for Bayern Munich but he revealed that he held short discussions with the Premier League side, but turned them down due to his word.
"Manchester United is a very big and nice club. But I already had such a good feeling at Bayern and I had them given my word," the player told De Telegraaf.
Another reason the player might have chosen Germany over England, as well as the recent comparison in success between the two teams, could have been a friendly face.
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Whilst Ten Hag obviously would have been someone Gravenberch had worked with before, he is set to team up with another colleague at the Allianz Arena.
Full back Noussair Mazraoui will also be moving to the Bundesliga champions at the beginning of July, and his former Ajax teammate is looking forward to teaming with him again.
"I like the fact that Nous [Noussair Mazraoui] is going there [Bayern Munich] too. It's always nice when you already know someone," Gravenberch added.
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Gravenberch came through the academy at Ajax and was an integral member of the team who won the Eredivisie for the third time in four years last month.
With Ten Hag having already worked with Donny van de Beek, who is already at United, and De Jong and Gravenberch, it shows how he wants to use players who already know his system.
It's not just United who will feel the blow of Gravenberch moving to the Bundesliga, with Football Manager players also set to miss out.
In the past few editions of the game, the midfielder has been a wonder kid for Ajax who was easily gettable and would instantly improve your team.