Three years ago Manchester United needed a new forward and pushed to sign a left-footer who would have added quality and balance to their attack.
In 2022 the situation is similar and as part of Erik ten Hag’s renewal of his squad an attacker is next on the agenda, ideally one who again brings some balance with a preference for using his left foot.
This time Ajax right-winger Antony is top of Ten Hag’s list, unsurprisingly given the new manager’s focus on signing players he is familiar with, but the 22-year-old could be priced out of a move. After just two seasons in European football, he still has an awful lot to prove as well.
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In 2019, Paulo Dybala was top of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s wishlist, only for his wage demands to scupper a deal. Dybala wasn’t convinced about joining a club outside of the Champions League and his requested salary made it clear money might be the only balm to soothe a season in the Europa League.
United did the right thing by walking away from that transfer but as the deal to sign Frenkie de Jong is proving this summer, if Old Trafford and a project to return to the Champions League is the only offer on the table it’s much harder to say no to.
Since rejecting United it’s been a testing few years for Dybala, with Juventus finishing fourth in the previous two Serie A campaigns. On Thursday, Dybala’s contract with Juve expired, and he’s essentially unemployed from today.
Despite his status as a free agent this summer there’s been no inclination at Old Trafford to revisit a deal, perhaps once bitten twice shy after the experience of 2019, but there’s little doubt Dybala would improve this team.
The 28-year-old scored 115 goals in 293 games for Juventus and his versatility meant he could lead the line, play off the right and combine with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time in Turin.
In a summer window when United are having to try and make their budget stretch free agents are under consideration, with a deal still in the pipeline to sign 30-year-old Christian Eriksen, and if Antony proves unattainable then Dybala would be an option, theoretically in the peak of his career.
He has been expected to sign for Inter Milan this summer, but there is still no deal in place despite his Juventus contract coming to an end and Inter, whose financial difficulties are well known, having recently signed Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea.
Inter CEO Beppe Marotta confirmed talks with Dybala this week but suggested more leeway was required to strike a deal.
“I won’t deny that we met with Dybala’s representatives. We need to explore new avenues and Dybala is one of those we are currently looking at, but in order to reach a conclusion, we need the parties to converge in the same direction,” he said. “There is no agreement right now.”
It’s not clear if converging in the same direction is a sign of Inter’s financial struggles or Dybala’s wage demands.
If it’s the latter then it would rightly put United off, but if a move to the San Siro falls through then Dybala’s options will be shrinking. The longer he remains a free agent but the smaller the pool of potential clubs could become.
United will be understandably cautious of moving for a player they endured difficulties with three years ago and Dybala isn’t necessarily a natural fit for the start of the Ten Hag era, but he is an outstanding player who would strengthen the attacking options to the new manager’s disposal. It’s surely worth keeping an eye on, at least.
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