Manchester United have had an £80million bid for Ajax forward Antony rejected.
United, who are progressing with a £60million deal to take Real Madrid ’s Brazilian midfielder Casimiro to Old Trafford, lodged an offer with the Amsterdam club after being urged by new boss Erik ten Hag to test their resolve to keep the 22-year-old in Holland.
But Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder - who has replaced Ten Hag at the helm - urged his bosses to turn down the proposal.
The Dutch champions have seen Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez follow Ten Hag to Manchester and have also lost Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch, Perr Schuurs, Nicolas Tagliafico and Noussair Mazaroui this summer.
Schreuder warned Ajax sporting directors Gerry Hamstra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar that he could not afford to lose Antony - despite United’s bank-busting bid. Ajax have previously managed to persuade defender Jurrien Timber to turn down United’s overtures - and have now rewarded the 21-year-old with a new contract.
Antony, born in Sao Paulo, has won two Dutch titles under Ten Hag and has become Ajax’s main man. He asked the club to allow him to follow Ten Hag to Manchester after United first lodged their interest.
But last week he announced he was happy to stay after scoring his first goal of the season in the 6-1 thrashing of Groningen. Antony has scored 21 in 74 games for Ajax since arriving from Sao Paulo in a £14million deal in February 2020.
He has hit the net twice in nine appearances for Brazil and will be going to the World Cup in the winter. United must now decide whether to test Ajax’s resolve to keep the player by lodging an improved bid.
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Ten Hag is desperate for reinforcements after seeing his team beaten by Brighton and Brentford in their first two games of the season. Madrid have accepted their £60million offer for five-time Champions League winner Casimiro.
Ten Hag had made Frenkie De Jong his No 1 target, but the Dutch midfielder is refusing to leave Barcelona until the cash-strapped Catalan club pay him £17million in deferred wages. Casimiro, the 30-year-old midfield enforcer, has accepted United’s £350,000-a-week contract offer but will speak to Real boss Carlo Ancelotti before making his decision over the weekend.
As revealed by Mirror Sport earlier this month, United are also monitoring PSV Eindhoven's Dutch footballer of the year Cody Gakpo. But Eindhoven will not entertain offers for the £40million-rated forward until they have played Rangers in the second leg of their Champions League play-off.
