Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Antony after the Ajax star reportedly handed in a transfer request.
United have been on the trail of the Brazilian for much of the summer with manager Erik ten Hag keen to reuinite with the forward after their time together with the Eredvisie club.
MAILBOX: Is Antony worth all that Manchester United money? And where is the Liverpool cash going?
A report in The Athletic claimed on Wednesday that United are ‘confident of reaching an agreement to sign Ajax forward Antony before the summer transfer window’ and now the 22-year-old is doing what he can at his end to force the deal.
Mirror claim that ‘Antony’s adviser informed the Dutch champions that he wants to join Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford after Ajax rejected an offer of £72.3million last week’.
They’ve taken that to mean he’s ‘handed in a transfer request’, which it doesn’t quite, but De Telegraaf have also backed the assertion that some sort of formal document has changed hands.
The report also states that the forward has told United that personal terms will be a formality and that he is ‘already looking at houses in the Manchester area’.
Fabrizio Romano added on Twitter: ‘Manchester United have not submitted new official bid for Antony yet – it will be sent to Ajax soon, matter of time. He’s considered internally by board/ten Hag as main priority over any other target. Antony has asked Ajax to leave since last week: only wants United.’
United have also reportedly made a second offer to sign Martin Dubravka from Newcastle as they continue their search for an alternative to David de Gea.
Ten Hag is hoping to bring in a new goalkeeper before the end of the transfer window to compete with De Gea at Old Trafford.
United reportedly held talks with both Yann Sommer and Kevin Trapp, but those deals now look dead in the water, and they have instead reignited interest in Dubravka.
The Red Devils made a late bid to sign Dubravka on loan in January, which was snubbed by the goalkeeper, who is now said to be ‘open’ to the idea.
Nick Pope’s arrival at St James’ Park means his game time will be depleted and he may in fact have a better chance of action at United after a less than convincing start to the season for De Gea.
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