Manchester United have reluctantly grown used to missing out on transfer targets in recent years, but their success in signing Antony can go down as them getting one over on their Premier League rivals.
Albeit for an eye-watering £84million, the Red Devils have secured the 22-year-old winger's sought-after services. And while there wasn't any major competition to sign Antony this summer, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool are reported to have all previously expressed interest since he burst onto the scene with Sao Paulo. The Red Devils thrashed out a deal with Ajax after weeks of hotly-contested negotiations, which eventually led to the Brazilian forward going on strike.
On transfer deadline day, it was finally announced that Erik ten Hag had indeed signed Antony, having been the man who brought him to Amsterdam two years ago. But it was before the samba star left his homeland that the Premier League's finest were fighting over his signature.
In 2019, City lodged a bid to sign Antony off the back of a superb campaign for Sao Paulo, the Telegraph explain. Pep Guardiola and co offered £17m in a deal which would've seen the Osasco-born sensation spend his first season on loan at Sporting Lisbon. However, Antony understandably didn't want to leave home at that stage and decided on signing a new contract with Sao Paulo.
But City's rejection didn't deter further interest from England that same year, as Chelsea are said to have approached the Brazilian club. Ex-transfer chief Marina Granovskaia even made a promise to the player's camp to take Antony to Stamford Bridge, but a move never materialised.
Additionally, Liverpool were in the process of extensively scouting him and held talks with his representatives in 2019. Ten Hag and co eventually became the lucky recipients the following June, with Ajax paying a bargain £18m and putting the now Brazil international on a tried and tested track towards the top of European football.
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And that road has led him to Old Trafford, with United making him their second most expensive signing in the club's history. Antony is a happy man, too, explaining to manutd.com why he wanted to sign for a Ten Hag team once again. "[He is] an excellent coach," the wing wizard stated. "I've got tremendous respect and affection for him. From the moment I arrived at Ajax he treated me so well and put his faith in me.
"It's not by chance I had such a great run of form under him for two years. We developed this mutual trust and closeness. He's a manager I have respect and affection for – when I found out he was moving here I wished him all the best and all the success he deserves. Now I'm alongside him once again, I hope to make history and develop and grow further under his management."
Antony is eligible to make his debut for Ten Hag's side when the Red Devils welcome Arsenal to Manchester on Sunday.
