Mueez Ajao
– Manchester United have agreed a fee to sign winger Antony from Ajax, it was confirmed Tuesday.
– Sources told that the deal is worth an initial €95 million with another €5m in add-ons, which will make it the second-most-expensive transfer in United’s history behind Paul Pogba, who joined from Juventus for a then-world-record £89.3m (€105m) in 2016.
Official and confirmed. Antony joins Manchester United on permanent deal for €95m guaranteed fee plus €5m in add-ons, as expected. 🚨🇧🇷 #MUFC
Contract until June 2027 with option until June 2028.
Here we go confirmed. pic.twitter.com/vfNGvu80GG
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2022
– The deal is subject to a medical, player terms being finalised and international clearance.
Also Read: Ajax reject Man United’s bumper bid for Anthony
An agreement has been reached for the transfer of @Antony00 🤝🔴#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 30, 2022
Ajax and Manchester United reach agreement on Antony Matheus dos Santos.
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 30, 2022
– Antony will be reunited with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, who will complete his fifth signing of the summer after bringing in Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro.
– The 22-year-old will give United another option in attack after Anthony Martial suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the 2-1 win against Liverpool last week.
– Antony signed for Ajax from Sao Paulo in 2020 and has made 82 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, scoring 25 goals.
– He has also been capped nine times for Brazil, scoring twice.
– Ten Hag’s side have responded to back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Brentford with victories against Liverpool and Southampton, lifting them off the bottom of the Premier League table.
– This is the statement signing Erik ten Hag has been wanting to make all summer – and the fee underlines how keen United were to satisfy their new manager before Thursday’s deadline closes.
– Predominately left-footed, Antony likes to cut in off the right flank. He has exceptional pace, an ability to create chances from nothing and a willingness to work hard.
– In a sense, he is very much like the players who already occupy the wide positions at United.
– But it is clear Ten Hag wants greater depth and higher quality. He has already worked out that – as a collective – the players he inherited were not good enough.
– The big question is whether Antony’s arrival will trigger a change of system – or put someone’s place under threat, or both.
– And, as ever, debate will be around Ronaldo and how he fits in a team which has even more pace than before.
