Erik ten Hag failed in his pursuit of a star forward, whose revealed that he texted him about a move to Manchester United.
The Dutch boss is eyeing a new forward before the transfer window slams shut.
He's keeping tabs on Antony and it appears the Brazilian isn't the only Ajax player Ten Hag wanted at Old Trafford.
That's because Brian Brobbey has claimed the Man United manager wanted to snap him up this summer before the player signed for the Eredivisie outfit.
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The 20-year-old starred on loan at Ajax last season, scoring seven league goals in just 11 games.
His performances alerted the 52-year-old who texted the budding forward about a switch to the Premier League side.
But Brobbey turned down Ten Hag's advances as he wanted to go back to Ajax.
Speaking to Voetbal International, he said: "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 [to Ajax]. My friends here, Ajax's playing style, it just wasn't finished yet.
"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."
Ten Hag was hoping to reunite with Brobbey at Man United following a campaign together at Ajax last season.
But he was unable to lure him to Manchester, with Ten Hag still on the hunt for another forward before deadline day.
Topics: Football, Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag
Nasir Jabbar