Manchester United could launch a “charm offensive” to sign Ajax forward Antony, if Marcus Rashford departs Old Trafford at the end of the season.
The Brazilian attacking sensation has enjoyed a fantastic start to life at the Amsterdam giants since his £14million move from Sao Paulo in the summer of 2020. He has contributed eight goals and four assists in 23 Eredivise appearances, as well as two goals and four assists in seven Champions League appearances.
United managerial target Erik Ten Hag is more than familiar with the 22-year-old’s impressive performances, having overseen his promising two seasons in European football; however, United would likely face competition from the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona. And if Rashford departs the Red Devils at the end of the campaign, United could fill the void by making a bold move for the Brazilian international.
Reports from TuttoJuve claim United “could launch an offensive” for the striker who also contributed two goals and two assists in Brazil’s dominant World Cup qualification campaign. However, the Red Devils would likely face fierce competition for his signature, as many of European football’s biggest clubs are purported to be courting the attacker.
Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich are all understood to be firm admirers of the Brazilian ace. But United may have the edge if they name Ten Hag as manager, as Anthony has already expressed his firm admiration for the 52-year-old Ajax boss.
"Every player under his guidance becomes a better footballer through his training," Antony told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, via Manchester Evening News. "Since my arrival, he has given me a lot of confidence and believed in what I can do. "I am grateful to him for that. I respect him very much."
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Ten Hag’s reputation for developing young players more than precedes itself. While his coaching skills have seen the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Frenkie de Jong, and Matthijs de Ligt become European stars, Ten Hag is also a born winner.
He is currently on course to win his third consecutive Eredivise and Dutch Cup double at the European giants. And if Ten Hag does enter the United dugout, then he could seek to repeat his magic with Antony as a means of replacing Rashford.
The Englishman was excluded from Gareth Southgate’s recent England squad, after a series of frustrating performances for the Reds Devils. Amid Rashford’s uncertain future at the club, the United academy starlet was told to depart the the red side of Manchester by former Liverpool ace Jamie Redknapp.
“This is a young man that I believe has to go and explore and go to do something else,” Redknapp told Sky Sports of Rashford. “He looks like he’s fallen out of love with the game right now. Go and play somewhere, because there’s no doubt there’s a player in there.
“There will be hundreds of clubs that would want him. He’s had enormous success against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain in Europe. “Clubs in England would want him – Tottenham, Arsenal – everyone would want him. But I think his time has run at Manchester United.”
