If we’ve learned anything from the Antony transfer saga it’s that money talks; full stop. Everybody has a price; period. Ajax, having sold off enough of their players already this summer, had no interest in parting ways with forward Antony. Manchester United having whiffed on numerous striker targets this transfer window, badly needed a new forward.
Especially so given that Cristiano Ronaldo badly wants out and does not care about destroying the good will he has at the club in the process.
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Antony to Manchester United, here we go! Agreement in principle with Ajax, €100m fee. Contract until June 2027 with option until 2028. To be signed tomorrow. ???? #MUFC
Contracts being prepared, it’s Eredivisie historical record fee — Antony will be in Manchester next week. pic.twitter.com/Wr9mUiX1Ud
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 28, 2022
Plus Mason Greenwood remains indefinitely suspended while out on bail having been charged with committing various serious crimes. United are low on options in attack, hence they splashed the cash.
As we reported five days ago, personal terms were reached between both clubs on the transfer of the Brazilian, but the transfer fee had not been nailed down as of yet. Turns out , it’s a €100m fee, €95m up front, plus another €5m in add-ons. That amount, which makes him the most expensive Dutch Eredivisie player ever sold, converts to £85m.
Antony will fly to England on Monday for his #mufc medical. Fee is €95m up front plus €5m in add-ons [@JBurtTelegraph]
— utdreport (@utdreport) August 28, 2022
These figures are being reported by multiple outlets all across the world right now. And it’s indicative of how much the board is truly backing Erik ten Hag.
Antony, plus Lisandro Martinez, is an example of Ten Hag getting his guys in, to play in his systems. These are players he knows well, because he developed them into who they are today. That’s how you do a rebuild- you get everyone on the same page who can fit an identity for the club.
Antony’s farewell message to Erik ten Hag when he left Ajax. He knew all along… ? #mufc pic.twitter.com/uBZUYGjaiw
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) August 28, 2022
The Antony acquisition is huge for United. While the transfer window started slow for MUFC, there are crushing it right now.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.