Ronald Koeman has criticised Ajax star Brian Brobbey, claiming his first touch and finishing are 'not good' and questioned why his former coaches did not address the issues.
The former Southampton and Everton manger handed the 21-year-old his Holland debut against Greece in the international break last month, but he was far from impressed with what he saw.
‘I still hope he continues to develop,' Koeman said on Rondo, a TV show on Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport.
'During the international period, we were finishing and then you saw that his first touch and the way he finished was not good.
'As a coach, wouldn't you work on that? It's not about getting fitter but about finishing
'If you train every day on finishing, you'll become technically better at it.'
Brobbey has scored five goals in 15 appearances for Ajax in all competitions so far this season in what has been a disastrous campaign for the four-time European Cup winners.
Ajax have endured their worst-ever start to a league campaign and sit 11th in the Eredivisie table, just three points clear of the relegation zone.
A product of Ajax's academy, Brobbey joined RB Leipzig on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, before returning to Amsterdam on a six-month loan in January of the following year.
The 21-year-old made the switch permanent in the summer of 2022 in a £14million deal.
Koeman, however, suggested Brobbey was yet to repay the investment and suggested the back and forth between Ajax and RB Leipzig had hindered his progress.
‘I wonder, what did he do at the clubs where he played?,' he said.
'How long was he at Ajax? Then he went to Leipzig and came back again.'
Despite his pointed criticism of Brobbey, however, Koeman has included the striker in Holland's provisional squad for the Euro qualifiers against Ireland and Gibraltar later this month.
Brobbey was on target on Sunday as Ajax continued their upturn under new boss John van't Schip by beating Heerenveen 4-1.
The Amsterdammers have won two games in a row since van't Schip replaced Maurice Steijn at the end of last month.