Antony: Manchester United confirm agreement with Ajax for £86m transfer of winger
Written by admin on August 30, 2022
Antony unlikely to be available for Thursday’s Premier League clash with Leicester but could make debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, live on Sky Sports; Antony will be Man Utd’s fifth summer signing.
Manchester United have agreed an £86m deal to sign Ajax winger Antony.
Personal terms have been agreed with the 22-year-old, who completed his medical at Carrington on Monday.
A formal announcement is expected soon, subject to international clearance.
Antony has to be registered by midday on Wednesday to be available for United’s Premier League game at Leicester City on Thursday. It is thought that is unlikely as his visa and work permit are yet to be sorted.
He could therefore make his Manchester United debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
The move to United will see Antony reunited with ex-Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who has already recruited defender Lisandro Martinez from his former club.
Antony has 31 goals and 27 assists in 134 club appearances for Ajax and Sao Paulo, and two goals and two assists in nine senior appearances for his native Brazil. He has won two Eredivisie titles, and a gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Antony will become United’s third most expensive signing after Paul Pogba (£93.3m) and Romelu Lukaku (£90m).
They are also working on a deal to sign Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on loan.
ANTHONI TO MANCHESTER UNITED
“For sure, we hope he will be the next star of Ajax.” It was July 2020 and Erik ten Hag, Ajax’s manager at the time, was introducing Antony, the club’s new £20m signing from Sao Paulo.
“We at Ajax are always trying to strive for the top,” added Ten Hag. “So I expect he will do his best to reach that level of expectation. The rest, we will see in the future.”
Ten Hag was right to expect big things of Antony – the Brazilian, only 19 when he agreed his move to Amsterdam, swiftly established himself as one of Ajax’s key players – but even he could not have predicted he might one day take him to Manchester United too.
