(Football news) Ajax have rejected a sensational bid of £76.3m (€90m) from Manchester United for Brazil winger Antony. United have been chasing the 22-year-old for several weeks and saw a £67.9m (€80m) offer rejected by the club earlier this week. Antony is very keen on reuniting with Erik Ten Hag as he was omitted from the Ajax squad for last Sunday's 1-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam, in the latest indication the player has now gone public with is intention to Old Trafford, but the Eredivisie champions have stood firm against United's improved offer and plan on do so as they want to keep the player at any cost.
A move to United would see Antony reunite with his ex-Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who has already recruited defender Lisandro Martinez from his former club. Despite rejecting the latest bid, talks are still ongoing between the two clubs, ahead of the transfer deadline on Thursday. United look to be in pole position to sign Antony, especially if Richard Arnold has intervened to take over the negotiation for the player but should the deal fall through it is likely that United will put some of that €94m transfer fee towards other potential targets.
United may have to act quickly and reignite their interest in Cody Gakpo or bring in someone like Pulisic. The move for De Jong also looks very unlikely especially if they complete the deal for Antony as two signings of such financial outlay would seem impossible according to the owners. Frenkie De Jong has been Ten Hag’s top target throughout the summer whereas he had a long-standing interest in the Brazilian winger and given the complexity of both the deals there is a high possibility that Ten Hag doesn’t get both of his top targets this summer transfer window. While Casemiro certainly fits the criteria of an “elite player” in midfield, he is certainly not a direct replacement for De Jong in the midfield. It won’t come as a shock for the United fans that again a new manager wasn’t backed in the summer transfer window, with the club pondering over the deals they have to make do with alternatives.
Antony, speaking in an interview with Fabrizio Romano, has given the world his tale of events in this saga and is hopeful that Ajax will green-light an exit. "Since February of this year, my agents came to Amsterdam to inform Ajax of my desire to leave the club to face a new challenge and that some interested clubs would arrive and, with them, certainly a great offer," Antony said via Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano on YouTube.
"During the window months, meetings concluded including a proposal from Ajax for contract renewal. I made it clear once again I want to leave the club. Today in a meeting with the board I expressed my interest in leaving the club, this time with a considerable offer on the table. Others have already arrived (but) Ajax always refuses with the argument it only has five days to replace (me).
"I'm not asking (for Ajax) to release me, I am asking Ajax to sell me as the highest bid received by a player who plays in the Eredivisie. I was very happy in Amsterdam, I won titles at Ajax, made friends and built part of my career, but now I reinforce that I am ready and full of motivation to follow my story and my dreams," he added.
"People need to listen to me and understand that my motivation moves me towards happiness. I need this to continue performing at a high level. Ajax will always be in my heart."
Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder said he was confident Antony would remain at the club – and appeared to take a swipe at the fact that United are not playing in the Champions League. “I have a good feeling about it. Of course, it's difficult. I understand the lad," Schreuder said after Ajax's win on Sunday. "But he plays for Ajax, so these clubs do come knocking on the door. We are playing in the Champions League and I don't think Manchester United are.”
Also read: Chelsea agree a fee of £75m with Leicester City for Wesley Fofana
