Manchester United are targeting Ajax’s Brazilian winger Antony in a move to improve their attacking options going into the 22/23 season, with new head coach Erik ten Hag eager to sign his former star player.
United have been unsuccessful in securing their key targets so far in this summer window, with Benfica winger, Darwin Nunez, joining Liverpool and Porto midfielder, Vinitha, agreeing terms with Paris St Germain.
These failures will undoubtedly have frustrated Ten Hag, with a deal to sign Frenkie de Jong also being significantly slowed down due to tough negotiations with Barcelona.
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It has been reported by Samuel Luckhurst in the Manchester Evening News that Erik ten Hag is very eager to sign the 22 year-old from his former club, with Ajax set to sign Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn as a replacement.
The Dutchman wants Antony to join alongside central midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Christian Eriksen, with this representing a sizeable overhaul for the current United squad.
The deal will be tricky for United to complete, having already struggled to sign Jurrien Timber from Ajax as well, with Ajax far from being desperate to sell. The Dutch club have already let central midfielder Ryan Gravenberch leave for Bayern Munich.
Antony has a reputation for attacking flair, having scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions in the 21/22 season.
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Manchester United are in desperate need for forwards with proven ability, following poor seasons from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, the latter having spent the second half of the season at Sevilla in Spain. Both players have been linked with moves away from Old Trafford, however more recent reports suggest that Marcus Rashford is looking forwards to revitalising his career under the new Dutch boss.
The Brazilian is primarily a right-winger, with this being an area United will be desperate to improve, having struggled to operate effectively from the right wing over the last few seasons.
The arrival of Antony could feasibly see the Reds start the coming season with a frontline of Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antony, a frontline which would strike fear into any Premier League defence.
With Antony Elanga providing several strong performances last season and Alejandro Garnacho tipped for a breakthrough season under Erik ten Hag, Anthony Martial could be allowed to leave Old Trafford, should United secure a deal for Antony.
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A decent fee for Martial should he leave the club this summer could be used in the deal for the winger, or further invested as United are still in need for a defensive midfielder, centre-back and perhaps an all out number nine.
While there is strong interest in Antony from United due to Erik ten Hag’s desire for increased forward options, it is likely that the club will continue to focus on their efforts to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona, with reports coming out that United are around £15m short in their bids for the Dutchman.
Ten Hag is also reportedly very interested in signing former Ajax and Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen, who will become a free agent at the end of June as his contract with Brentford expires.
In addition to this, it is believed that the club are looking to sign a centre-back following their failure to land Jurrien Timber, with Lisandro Martinez being heavily linked to the Red Devils this morning.
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It should become apparent towards the end of the week if the Manchester United interest in Antony is solid enough to warrant a bid, with any bid having to meet strict demands from Ajax in order to secure the player's services.
Topics: Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Antony, Ajax, Christian Eriksen, Erik Ten Hag, Frenkie De Jong, Football, Transfers
