Former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag got a brief taste of defeat with Premier League side Manchester United, as they were unable to close the deal with Ajax midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who is moving to Bundesliga side Bayern Munich instead. 

The contract with the Bavarians is up to 2027 and the fee is around €25 million ($26 million), with add-ons included. There’s also a 7% sell-on clause. 

Speaking to De Telegraaf, the 20-year-old noted “Manchester United is a very big and beautiful club. But I already had such a good feeling at Bayern and I had given my word”. 

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Bayern have landed another Ajax player, Noussair Mazraoui, who’s also set to join. Gravenberch addressed this, saying, “I like that Nous goes there too. It’s always nice when you already know someone. My mother will come to live with me. And my father will be here a lot to take care of all kinds of things so that I can fully focus on football. I hope to find a house in the coming weeks. Otherwise, I will spend the first weeks in a hotel have to stay.” 

While the new arrival will definitely bolster Bayern’s midfield, there’s a lesson in here for United, who are finding it somewhat difficult to attract talent. Frenchman Paul Pogba is all set to depart and Fred is hardly a suitable replacement. The Dutch manager has assured Donny van de Beek that he’ll get more time in the United squad and Frenkie de Jong seems set to join the English club from Barcelona. 

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Though de Jong has expressed a wish to continue with his current club, a deal seems to be in place for the Dutchman to make a move. Notably, Barcelona has had some trouble with finances and the club is poised to close the deal on Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski, so de Jong’s sale to United would definitely aid their coffers. 

United, for its part, is finding it somewhat difficult to draw new players since the side won’t be competing in the Champions League this time, following a disappointing PL performance in the last season.