Man Utd prepare fresh €100m bid for Ajax's Antony
Manchester United have reportedly prepared a new €100 million bid for Ajax star Antony after seeing an €80m offer turned down by the Eredivisie giants.
The Red Devils have already signed defender Lisandro Martinez from Ajax this summer, and are targeting another purchase from Erik ten Hag's former club.
Antony has been pursued by the Old Trafford club all summer, but their attempts to sign him have not yielded any success as of yet.
However, after their €80m bid was rejected, they have reportedly decided to increase their offer in an attempt to lure Ajax into a sale.
According to Foot Mercato, Man Utd are preparing to launch a fresh bid that will total €100m. The report details that the Red Devils are ready to offer Ajax an initial fee of €80m for Antony, with a further €20m in add-on bonuses.
It's understood that this bid has a chance of being accepted by Ajax, who may not be able to turn down such a huge offer for a player they signed for an initial €16 million back in 2020.
Jadon Sancho has started both of Man Ut'd opening two league fixtures on the right flank, which is where Antony tends to operate. Marcus Rashford has started both Premier League games so far in the 2022-23 season on the left wing, but may find himself dropped if Antony arrives.
Who could Ajax sign to replace Antony?
De Telegraaf have reported that the Amsterdam side are looking at signing Chelsea's former Ajax star Hakim Ziyech on an initial loan deal before aiming to sign him on a permanent deal in 2023 if Antony leaves.
In addition to that, Foot Mercato have reported that fellow former Ajax star Justin Kluivert is also on the Eredivisie side's radar in the event that Antony departs this summer. Kluivert currently plays for Roma, and Premier League side Fulham are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign him.