Manchester United have changed their transfer plans for the summer after missing out Darwin Nunez to Liverpool, ESPN reports.
The Red Devils were initially prioritising a new striker with Nunez having emerged as the prime target for manager Erik ten Hag.
However, their plans were quickly shattered as arch-rivals Liverpool won the race to sign the Uruguay international from Benfica.
It is now reported that United have changed their transfer focus after the setback, and prefer to sign a more versatile forward.
Antony is one of the top names on the club’s radar, but a move could be ‘problematic’ with Ajax eyeing €80 million to sell him.
Our view:
United were determined to sign Nunez at the start of the month, but he chose to join Jurgen Klopp’s side as soon as they entered the race.
The focus now appears on pursuing Antony from Ajax, but he can’t be considered as someone versatile with his right-wing preference.
Since his move to Amsterdam, 96 per cent of his minutes have come from the right side of the attack. He has barely impressed elsewhere.
Despite his strong positional bias, he could be a quality addition to the United ranks with the club’s limited creativity from the right flank.
Antony bagged 12 goals and 10 assists from 32 games for Ajax last term. Six of his goal contributions came in the Champions League.
At 22, he is just entering the prime of his career and could seamlessly adapt at United, having played under Ten Hag for the last two seasons.
The main stumbling block could be the price tag. United tend to haggle over valuations. We have already seen that with Frenkie de Jong this summer.
After weeks of negotiations, it seems they have accepted a package of around €80m for his transfer that could be finalised by June 30.
Whether they are willing to pay the same fee for Antony is a big doubt. We can expect another prolonged spell of negotiations to sign him.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
