REVEALED: Is this the moment when Tyrell Malacia caught Erik ten Hag’s attention? Then it looks like the Ajax boss is telling his assistant to “take note” during the dazzling Feyenoord display … and now he’s at the top of the Man United movement
De Sam Mcevoy for Mailonline
Posted: 09:31, 29 June 2022 | Updated: 11:19, June 29, 2022
Erik ten Hag is set to seal one of his first signings as Manchester United manager after agreeing a £ 13m deal to sign Feyenoord star Tyrell Malaysia, but it looks like he has long had the eye placed on the defender.
Images have appeared online that seem to show the very moment when the Dutch boss first set his sights on the talented young man while he was at the helm of Ajax, where he seems to have sensationally highlighted the 22-year-old during a match of the Eredivisie.
In a compilation of Malaysia’s best moments posted online by a fan, the cameras focus on Ten Hag as he sits in the dugout.
The images seem to show the moment Tyrell Malaysia caught Erik ten Hag’s attention for the first time
While Ajax boss Ten Hag seems to describe Malacia as “amazing” before asking his assistant coach to “take note of him”.
The 22-year-old, who is on the verge of becoming Ten Hag’s first signing as head of Man United, appears to have impressed the Dutch boss in an Eredivisie match.
We should get Tyrell Malaysia if we get a chance Ten Hag values him very well he has all the attributes of a good LB pic.twitter.com/cA8W5YYi7S
– Tяυsτ №¹-Yahya ™ (@RealistYahz) June 23, 2022
The dazzling performance of the winger in the game no doubt caught the attention of the former Ajax boss when he is seen pointing in the direction of the player and shouting in Dutch: “That kid on the left winger is amazing.” .
No doubt the praise didn’t stop there, with Ten Hag ordering assistant coach Michael Reiziger to sit by his side to “take note of him”.
And it’s no secret that Ten Hag likes his compatriot.
Last year, the 52-year-old was asked if Malacia was one of his transfer targets while he was still at Ajax. Ten Hag was shy in his response, but let everyone know what he thought of the defender.
“We think he’s a good player, yes,” Ten Hag said.
“A move from Malaysia to us is not a problem in the first place. Before we have all the speculation again; it does not play at all.
The transfer of £ 13 million from Malaysia to United is now “imminent,” Feyenoord chiefs confirmed.
‘We can accommodate an output of [Nicolas] Tagliafico within our current selection. If really necessary, we have a shadow list. If Malacia is on this list? I won’t tell you.
Although the transfer of Malacia seems to have come out of nowhere, it seems that Ten Hag has long intended to land him.
Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday that Malaysia were ready to join French side Lyon as the Old Trafford club focused on their bid to sign Frenkie de Jong, who shares the same agent as the star of the Feyenoord.
However, with De Jong’s talks advanced, United shifted their focus to the Malaysia deal and have a deal with Feyenoord for £ 12.9 million plus an additional £ 1.7 million in add-ons, with the total offer of £ 12.9 million from Lyon.
Malaysia, who have five games with the Netherlands and are a modern high-energy winger, now have to decide whether they want to move to Old Trafford, where they will compete with Luke Shaw.
Feyenoord’s Malaysia (right) has five games with the Netherlands and is a modern high-energy winger
The 25-year-old Barcelona midfielder De Jong is the top priority in the Premier League, with new coach Ten Hag desperate to sign the talented game creator to renovate his engine room.
United only want to move on to other signings, such as Malacia, when De Jong’s signing is resolved.
With the transfer from Malaysia to Lyon apparently on the stock market, United had moved on to alternative targets such as Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico.
But De Jong representatives are now trying to move the two players alongside Ten Hag.
Feyenoord manager Frank Arnesen told 1908.nl: “The deal with Man United is there. We are now waiting for Tyrell. If Malaysia says yes, then a transfer to Manchester United is imminent.
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