Manchester United insisted they would back their new manager in the summer transfer window, and they are set to break their record spending for a single window with the signing of Antony from Ajax.
The overall fee to be paid for Antony will take United's investment in new players under Erik ten Hag this summer to £225.3million — shattering their previous record of £155.5m in the 2014 summer window. Ten Hag certainly won't be able to complain about a lack of backing from the board, even if he was unable to bring priority target Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford.
Antony was his own preferred attacking addition, with Lisandro Martinez his top choice at centre-back. Tyrell Malacia was a player he admired from Dutch football and Christian Eriksen was a signing he argued would bring much needed experience and creativity to his side.
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Ten Hag still has work to do before he has a squad entirely in his image, but there will be little sympathy if he fails to get the best from a star-studded side that has been reinforced by a host of new faces this summer.
What has been key for the United manager this summer has been signing players he knows and trusts already, with Antony the latest to have worked under him, a player who feels indebted to Ten Hag for giving him his chance in European football after he was signed from Sao Paulo.
The Dutchman was keen to add a left-footer to his forward line in order to bring creativity and balance to his attack. Ten Hag is a huge believer in having different-footed players in his squad to create more favourable angles and offer something completely different when his side are looking to unlock an opposition defence.
Antony ticks all the boxes for the United manager in regards to what he can offer as an inverted forward on the right flank, but his success in the side will also rely somewhat on his partnership with his right-back.
Diogo Dalot is the current first-choice on the right side of defence, and although there is a desire to add a new full-back if possible, that will likely be left until next year, given Aaron Wan-Bissaka seems set to stay at Old Trafford beyond deadline day.
It means the Portuguese defender will have a key role to play in making Antony's first few weeks at the club a success, with it essential that the duo strike up a fierce partnership on the right flank.
With the Brazilian forward regularly looking to cut inside and use his dominant foot to create more inviting angles, it will be down to Dalot to join him in attack, and use the space created to overlap down the flank for extra support.
This was something Noussair Mazraoui did regularly at Ajax last season, offering an extra threat down the right side with his regular forays into the final third, grabbing five goals and four assists in the process.
While much of the limelight fell on Antony's impressive output from the right wing, part of the reason why he had so much joy was because of the partnership he struck up with his right-back and how often they linked up to form attacks.
To replicate such form in English football, it will not only be down to Antony to perform at his best, but it will also require support from his teammates to make his style of play work effectively.
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