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Glazers out? – Takeover talk ramps up at Manchester United
It’s still too early to judge Antony at Manchester United but, so far, the 22-year-old has looked money well spent. The Glazers didn’t initially want to spend so lavishly on the Brazil international when Erik ten Hag made it clear he wanted his former Ajax star to arrive back in the summer transfer window. Yet after agreeing to cave in, the Americans are now seeing their newest recruit take Old Trafford by storm.
Despite United finishing sixth in the Premier League table under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick last term, the Glazers didn’t believe the club to be in need of major reinforcements.
However, after seeing their side endure a nightmare start to the campaign with defeats to Brighton and Brentford, the Americans ended up performing a U-turn.
Shortly after losing 4-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium in August, Casemiro followed - with the Samba star joining from Real Madrid.
But Ten Hag, not content with bringing in one of the biggest serial winners in the game, then went to the hierarchy to ask for more.
The Glazers initially felt United were being exploited by Ajax, who wanted huge money to let Antony go having seen the Brazil international shine over the past two years.
Man Utd transfer news: The Glazers sanctioned huge £86m Antony deal back in the summer (Image: GETTY)
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But with Antony doing everything possible to make a move to Old Trafford, brothers Joel and Avram were ultimately convinced to sanction a huge £86million deal.
It is a lot of money. A lot.
Only Paul Pogba has moved to United for more, with the France international setting the Red Devils back a massive £89m when he returned from Juventus back in 2016.
Yet while Antony still has much to learn if he’s to become a club hit, he’s made a positive impression so far.
He scored on his debut in a stirring 3-1 win over Arsenal at the beginning of September, which remains the Gunners’ only defeat so far this season.
Antony then followed that up with a goal in his second Premier League game, against Manchester City, with Ten Hag’s side slipping to a 6-3 defeat.
And he made it three goals from as many league matches with the equaliser in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Everton at Goodison Park.
While Antony was poor defensively against City, and guilty of over-complicating things in the 3-2 win over Omonia last week, the Samba star is beginning to come good.
With three goals so far, he’s already close to matching the tallies Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria managed during their spells at the club.
United have waited for years to have a deadly right-winger, something they’ve been lacking since they had a young Cristiano Ronaldo at their disposal.
Man Utd transfer news: Antony has scored three Premier League goals from as many matches so far (Image: GETTY)
Yet Antony is doing all the right things so far and will be hopeful of continuing his hot streak against Omonia on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag has called on the Brazil international to improve going forward - insisting he can’t rest on his laurels at Old Trafford.
“He can go both ways with both feet. He has to work on that point,” said the 52-year-old.
“We already did that in Amsterdam with him, working on that. He can cross with his right foot too but he’s a young player who we have to develop and he has to develop himself too.”
Man Utd transfer news: Antony is looking the real deal ahead of Omonia clash (Image: GETTY)
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And he added: “We have to expect more from him.
“He needs challenges, that’s why he came to the Premier League and he gets that here.
“He wants to play with the best players and the highest stress factors and against the best players. From there on he will step up and that’s what you see.
“[In the] first week he was scoring goals and he has done good stuff but I also see a lot of room for improvement in his game.”
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