Sources: Man United plotting move for striker who Erik ten Hag loves
Man United retain an interest in signing in-form Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey, sources have told Football Insider.
Brobbey, 24, was managed by Erik ten Hag at Ajax, who once wanted the striker to follow him to Old Trafford in 2022.
United's chiefs have kept track of his progress over the last four years, and he has remained on their shortlist ahead of a potential approach.
The Netherlands international proved his quality last week with a maiden Premier League hat-trick in the Black Cats' 5-3 defeat at Man City.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, United may move to sign Brobbey in the January window if he continues to impress on Wearside.
He could face some time on the sidelines after pulling out of the Netherlands' squad on Friday with a suspected hamstring injury suffered in their Nations League clash with Germany.
Brian Brobbey is still a target for Man United as Sunderland stand firm
Sunderland made it clear that they had no plans to sell Brobbey in the summer as Serie A high-flyers Como registered their interest in his services late in the window.
Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Sunderland do not want to let Brobbey leave in January but may well be forced into a decision if a suitable offer comes in.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "I think Sunderland are obviously very happy with how Brobbey’s progressed up on Wearside, and I'm sure they'll be doing everything they can to keep hold of him.
"He has been on Manchester United's list of targets for a while now. I think it was under Erik ten Hag that he was initially linked to them, having worked with the Dutchman at Ajax as well."
What has Brobbey said about nearly joining United in the past?
The Dutchman worked well under his compatriot Ten Hag at Ajax, scoring 13 goals in 32 appearances while he was in charge between 2020 and 2022.
He chose to rejoin Ajax that summer after Ten Hag had left for United, making his loan from RB Leipzig permanent after just one year with the Bundesliga club.
Brobbey opened up on turning the Red Devils down in 2024 in favour of returning to Amsterdam, saying: "Erik ten Hag called me and said that at United, my agent would get millions of euros and I could earn a multiple of my Ajax salary. But our decision was clear: we wanted to go to Ajax.
"Manchester United wanted to have me, but I insisted on returning to Ajax. To make that possible, my agent Jose Fortes Rodriguez even waived a hefty percentage of the sell-on clause."