Manchester United Take One Step Closer To The Signing Of AFC Ajax’s Antony

With six days left of the summer transfer window, Manchester United know they are up against the clock in getting new recruits signed up for Erik Ten Hag.

The Red Devils might have recorded an emphatic win against arch-rivals Liverpool last Monday evening, but fans will know how quickly can they revert to previous and come unstuck against Southampton this weekend.

Casemiro was presented to the fans pre-match, in what was an important signing made by the club. They might have been chasing the signature of Frenkie de Jong all summer, but they have signed – for £60 million – a world-class international player who is an out-and-out defensive midfielder.

In truth, Manchester United need, at the bare minimum, another three signings to go through before next Thursday’s deadline. However, the reality of the matter is that they will realistically only end up with two.

One of those will be a goalkeeper, with the likelihood being Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka, in which they are exploring a loan move for.

The other is another long-term target of Ten Hag’s in Antony. Another former player of the Dutch coach’s time at Ajax, the right winger possesses desirable characteristics that Manchester United are certainly in need of on the right wing.

One of those being the simple fact that he is left-footed. More often than not in the modern game now will teams play with inverted wingers. The art of beating your opposite man and going on the outside is being replaced by cutting inside taking an early shot.

Manchester United have been left vulnerable and predictable throughout the last few seasons with their limited options in attack. But with the arrival of Antony, whose transfer fee will nearly touch €100 million, Ten Hag will be delighted to team up with him once again and hopefully push him to new heights.

The Brazil international comes with a certain levle of risk, having only played 57 games in the Eredivisie with a record of 18 goals and 14 assists. In recent times, players from the Dutch league have notoriously struggled, especially wingers.

Hakim Ziyech, Memphis Depay and Steven Bergwijn have all left or about to leave the clubs they transferred to after a breakout season in the PremierPINC
League.

Man United fans will desperately hope that this time is different. After the full home debuts of Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia, there is perhaps a sense of renewed optimism given the performance levels shown from those two in particular. Both rose to the occasion and delivered when the team needed them most.

Antony, at 22, has a long future ahead of him, hence the extortionate price tag, but is only improving season-by-season. Given it will take Ten Hag several transfer windows to sort through the current squad, bringing in players he is familiar with and understand his style of play is absolutely paramount.

Manchester United expect to complete the deal by the weekend and will announce their new prized asset in due course once formalities are finalised.