Ajax coach Frank de Boer has revealed that the club failed with an approach for Chelsea midfielder Marco van Ginkel during the January transfer window.

The 22-year-old has spent the majority of this season on loan at AC Milan.

Dutch giants Ajax were keen to bring the Netherlands international to Amsterdam, but De Boer has claimed that his lack of interest forced them to sign Daley Sinkgraven from Heerenveen instead.

"We asked Van Ginkel if he wanted to move, because [Davy] Klaassen and [Thulani] Serero were not fit," he is quoted as saying by Goal.com.

"At first we were looking at him and after that we focused on Sinkgraven for the future. Due to injuries we needed Sinkgraven right away. And besides that, Van Ginkel didn't want to come."

Van Ginkel joined Chelsea from Vitesse in 2013.