Antony's behaviour a red flag to Man Utd

FT Desk

22 Aug 2022 11:50 CDT
3 min read

Antony appears to be moving heaven and earth in his attempts to force a transfer from Ajax to Manchester United, but his behaviour should give the Red Devils pause.

Article continues under the video

Brazil winger Antony is a top target for new Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag, the Dutchman keen to add a left-footed player to his attacking ranks.

And Antony is certainly a talented player; one who has plundered 24 goals and 22 assists in two seasons with Ajax and won the Dutch domestic double under Ten Hag in 2021.

Stop that, Antony! 🔥pic.twitter.com/Dqzje28b9O
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 14, 2022

But with Ajax holding firm on demanding €100m for Antony, the 22-year-old has taken matters into his own hands.

He missed Ajax's training sessions last Friday and Saturday and was excluded from their squad for the 1-0 win at Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday.

When asked by Dutch journalist Mike Verweij if he could confirm he would be an Ajax player by the end of the current transfer window, Antony was forthright.

Blunt response

"No, to be quite honest I can't," he stated. "What I can say is that I want to come to the right decision with my family, agents and Ajax, which is good for everyone. Ultimately, God determines my future."

Antony's actions might work, and he could well be a United player by 31 August, but his behaviour should be a red flag for Ten Hag and his team.

At €100m, Antony will likely feel entitled to start most weeks. But he has Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and the nascent Anthony Elanga for competition in the wide areas, and such a guarantee of minutes might not be available.

And if things don't go his way, he is liable to throw his toys out of the pram if his recent unexplained absences from Ajax training are anything to go by.