'He only had a few good games' - Ajax boss on Antony

FT Desk

31 Aug 2022 08:08 BST
3 min read

Antony has completed his €100 million move from Ajax to Manchester United, leaving his former manager Alfred Schreuder fuming.

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Antony has been one of Erik ten Hag's top transfer targets all summer, the pair having won the Dutch domestic double together at Ajax in 2021.

Ajax were reluctant to let go of their star winger, and only agreed to budge when United agreed to the astronomical fee with Antony refusing to play for the Dutch champions.

Lisandro Martinez TO Antony 💪pic.twitter.com/H8Fj8tJ0pJ
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 30, 2022

Ajax have replaced Antony with Steven Bergwijn arriving in a €31.25m deal from Tottenham Hotspur, and for Schreuder, losing Antony doesn't necessarily weaken his squad.

"It's not good. It's a shame it happened," he said ahead of Ajax's Eredivisie meeting with Cambuur. "Personally, I just think it's bad. I think that's weird. He was eventually addressed about [going on strike].

"If you're Ajax, it's just bad that this happens, I understand if you're disappointed for a day or two, but you're also a professional. But within a few days you will understand what is going on. Then I'll just continue with the guys who are there.

Schreuder: 'just a f**king player!'

"What are we doing now? That frustrates you as a coach. Then I think: you're just a f**king player. You just have to do your thing."

Antony is certainly easy on the eye, but his 12 goals and 10 assists last season only came in at a rate of one every 115 minutes he played, and Dutch legend Marco van Basten thinks there's room for improvement.

"Antony worth €100m? No, by far no," he told Van Basten told Dutch TV. "Antony hasn't proven much yet. Of course he played a few good games. But his efficiency has not been high in the last two years."

Antony is still waiting on his work permit, so won't make his United debut against Leicester on Thursday. Sunday's meeting with Arsenal or Thursday's Europe League opener against Real Sociedad are more likely.