Ten Hag edges closer to £119m double Man Utd transfer as Ajax star’s ‘staff travel to Europe’
Man Utd are closing in on two of their top targets this summer after Antony’s representatives flew into Europe, according to reports.
Antony joined Ajax from Brazilian side Sao Paulo in 2020 in a deal worth a reported £18.2m with the 22-year-old going on to impress in his first two seasons in the Eredivisie.
The Brazilian has contributed 17 goals and 12 assists in his first two league seasons at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, while he scored two and assisted four times in seven Champions League matches last term.
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Reports have linked Liverpool, Newcastle and Man Utd with a move for Antony, who has earned nine caps for his country since moving to Ajax.
However, it is the Red Devils who have been consistently linked due to Erik ten Hag’s arrival at Old Trafford after the new permanent Man Utd boss left Ajax at the end of the season.
And now Goal Brasil insist that Antony’s ‘staff travels to Europe’ in order to ‘negotiate’ with Man Utd for a transfer that could reach as much as €60m.
It is understood that Man Utd ‘continues to try to make progress’ and the Brazil international could become Ten Hag’s ‘first signing’ at Old Trafford.
With Antony’s representatives travelling to Europe, the report adds that the ‘purpose of the trip is to accelerate, and perhaps close, the possible deal between the player and the Manchester club’.
Despite interest from other clubs, the report adds that Man Utd have the ‘trump card’ of Ten Hag and that ‘Antony’s future will be defined in the coming days’.
As well as Antony, Man Utd hope to seal a deal for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford.
Spanish publication Marca insist that the €60m plus another €20m in bonuses on the table from the Red Devils for De Jong is ‘too important not to accept’ as Barcelona’s financial situation ‘does not allow them to reject it’.
Another report today in The Athletic said that De Jong has made it clear that a move to Man Utd this summer now appeals to him, with a deal for both Antony and De Jong this summer costing around €140m (£119m).
