Antony has been left out of Ajax's matchday squad for the second weekend running amid Manchester United's ongoing pursuit of the Brazilian.
Antony, who joined the Dutch heavyweights from Sao Paulo back in 2020, has not been named in either the starting line-up or on the substitutes bench for Ajax's tussle with FC Utrecht. It is the second Eredivise fixture in a row that he has not been involved in, as he also played no part in last Sunday's 1-0 triumph over Sparta Rotterdam.
Antony, who scored 12 goals in all competitions last season, is desperate to seal a move to Old Trafford ahead of Thursday evening's transfer deadline and has made no secret of his intentions. He has not been training with the squad and has been pleading with Ajax to negotiate a deal with United.
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United, too, are also keen to get a deal over the line before the 11pm cut-off point on Thursday. Signing a new right-sided winger has been a leading priority for United manager Erik ten Hag all summer, and Antony has always been his top target. United had cooled their interest up until recently, but have revived it over the past fortnight or so.
Antony's latest omission from the Ajax squad will only strengthen United's hopes of securing his signature before the window closes. They have already seen a handful of bids rejected, but they remain optimistic of getting a deal over the line.
On Friday, in an interview with Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Antony said: "Since February of this year, my agents came to Amsterdam to inform Ajax of my desire to leave the club to face new challenge and that some interested clubs would arrive and with them, certainly a great offer.
"In June of this year, I interrupted my vacation and came personally to inform the managers of Ajax, including new coach, about my wish to leave and that they should consider this possibility, because it was a project for two seasons.
"During the window months, meetings continued and I also received a proposal from Ajax for contract renewal. I made it clear once again: I WANT TO LEAVE."
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