Manchester United’s week has been filled with headlines centred on the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to the team’s training base and the official unveiling of summer signing Lisandro Martinez, but the action isn’t expected to stop there.
The Red Devils continue to be linked with a move for Ajax forward Antony, who could yet join Martinez and Erik ten Hag in making the switch from Amsterdam to Manchester. However, it has recently been revealed that the club are “not desperate” to sign the Brazilian. Elsewhere, Ten Hag is eyeing a defensive cull as Roma open talks with Eric Bailly.
Mirror Football takes a look at all the latest transfer stories coming out of Old Trafford…
United “not desperate” for Antony
Ajax forward Antony was one of the first players to be linked with a move to Manchester United this summer which would have seen him become Erik ten Hag’s first signing of the new era at Old Trafford, but talks of a move died down over the past month, before they quickly picked up once again.
According to journalist Dean Jones on The Done Deal Show, United are expected to speed up talks for Antony this week. However, although Ajax currently value him at around £70 million, Jones doubts that United want Antony enough to pay over the odds for him.
He said: “Antony, don’t get me wrong, is a player that they really admire and like, but I don’t believe that they are that desperate for him that they are going to spend that amount of money on him.”
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Ten Hag eyes defensive cull
Following the arrival of Lisandro Martinez from Ajax, Erik ten Hag is keen on selling two of three possible defenders in the final month of the transfer window in order to generate extra transfer funds and trim down his playing squad for the new season.
And according to The Telegraph, the three players in question are Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe, with Ten Hag intent on keeping just one to provide backup for Martinez, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
All three defenders would ideally like to remain at Old Trafford but face a battle to save their United careers. Bailly and Tuanzebe have generated interest from abroad, although Jones is unreliable due to his injury struggles, leaving Ten Hag with a decision to make.
Roma open talks with Eric Bailly
Following on from the news that Eric Bailly is one of three defenders who Erik ten Hag may look to sell this summer, AS Roma have entered the race for the Ivory Coast international, with Jose Mourinho keen to reunite with the player who became his first signing as manager at Old Trafford.
That’s according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, via The Hard Tackle, who states that Manchester United and Roma are currently discussing a possible transfer for the Ivorian, who still has two years left on his contract with the Red Devils, and has a price tag of around £10 million.
Bailly has returned to the United squad during their pre-season and has given respectable performances under Ten Hag, including two brilliant pieces of play in the build up to goals against Liverpool and Melbourne Victory, yet his days could now be numbered.
