Manchester United’s chances of signing Antony have been given a timely boost with Chelsea ’s Hakim Ziyech close to re-joining Ajax.
United saw a £67.6million offer for Antony rejected by Ajax last week. The Dutch champions have already lost Lisandro Martinez to United and have also sold Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch, Perr Schuurs, Nicolas Tagliafico and Noussair Mazaroui this summer. They are therefore standing firm on Antony – for now at least.
However, Erik ten Hag will be buoyed by the news that his former club are lining up a move for Ziyech, who could well become Antony’s replacement in Amsterdam. Ziyech joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020 for around £33million but he has struggled for regular game time under Thomas Tuchel.
Chelsea are happy to sell the Morocco international and AC Milan were in talks with his representatives earlier in the summer. But a move back to the Johan Cruyff Arena appears a better fit, given he spent four productive years playing there before joining the Blues.
Dutch journalist Gerjan Hamstelaar reports that Ziyech’s representatives met with Ajax on Sunday night in Amsterdam and the talks went well. The 29-year-old winger wants to return to his former club, so personal terms won’t be an issue. With Chelsea also ready to sell, it looks like a deal could be done before the transfer window closes on September 1.
That update has been backed up by a post on Instagram by Ziyech's brother, who simply shared a photo of the winger wearing an Ajax shirt.
Antony was bought by Ten Hag for Ajax in the summer of 2020 as a replacement for Ziyech. So if he moves to United there will be a certain symmetry in Ziyech returning to the Netherlands as his replacement in Alfred Schreuder’s side.
Antony desperately wants to be reunited with Ten Hag in Manchester and the 22-year-old even went on strike to make his stance clear. But Schreuder remains steadfast in his belief that Ajax have no obligation to sell the Brazilian star.
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"I want Antony to stay,” he said. “I am assuming that the club will not sell him. The money that is being thrown around these days is crazy. But I would not find it okay if we sell another player. We are in a powerful position, financially."
Antony himself has offered a different assessment. Asked if he could reassure Ajax fans he would stay, he replied: “No, to be perfectly honest, I can't. What I can say is that I want to come to the right decision with my family, business partners and Ajax, which is good for everyone.
“In the end, God determines my future. I am very happy at Ajax, I have a contract until the summer of 2025 and I will give everything for this beautiful club for every second. I wear the shirt with pride and from day one I feel at home. If we all decide that I will stay here, then I know that this is the best thing for me and the club. It’s not like I have to leave.”
