Manchester United has made the signing of Brazilian Antony official, from Ajax. The winger arrives at the express request of coach Erik ten Hag, who coincided with him at the Dutch club. An operation that could reach one hundred million euros, making him the most sought-after Dutch league footballer in history.
"Manchester United have reached an agreement with Ajax for the transfer of Antony, which is still pending a medical examination, the completion of the terms of the contract with the player and international (administrative) procedures," the Reds wrote on Tuesday. in a statement in which they have also explained that the transfer has been agreed at 95 million euros with five other variables.
This figure makes his signing the fourth most expensive in the Premier behind Frenchman Paul Pogba to United himself, Belgian Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea and Jack Grealish to Manchester City. It is also the highest of the Red Devils this summer in which they have incorporated Casemiro (70 million), Lisandro Martínez (57), Malacia (15) and Erksen (free).
Antony Matheus dos Santos, 22, grew up in a favela on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, where he became a professional soccer club. From there he made the leap to European football with Ajax, a club with which he has scored 12 goals and 10 assists this season, helping Ajax win its third consecutive Eredivisie title and reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League. . In his record he has two League titles in the Netherlands, as well as a gold medal at the last Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
The arrival of the Brazilian striker could serve to alleviate the more than probable departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from the Manchester club. The Portuguese has long since expressed his intention to leave and Ten Hag has relegated him to the bench in the first two Premier League games. Even so, the Dutchman has publicly stated that they have him and that he wants him to stay, and the Portuguese's salary has been reduced by a quarter after the team failed to qualify for the Champions League. Precisely the desire to compete in the European competition is one of the great reasons that push Cristiano Ronaldo to look for another destination, but it will not be easy to find one that satisfies all parties and time is running out.
