Romano sees similarities in United’s pursuit of Antony to the Sancho saga

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Fabrizio Romano sees similarities in Manchester United’s pursuit of Ajax’s Antony to the Jadon Sancho saga with Borussia Dortmund in 2020.

As well as reuniting with priority target Frenkie de Jong, Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to sign Brazilian winger Antony this summer, to bolster his forward line.

According to GOAL, the Red Devils are plotting one last attempt to sign the former Sau Paulo starlet.

The Times reported that one of the 22-year-old’s representatives had been in England last week as speculation continues.

However, after losing their manager and a raft of their star men, Ajax techinical manager Gerry Hamstra has said that no more of the club’s prized assets will be leaving this summer.

Romano sees similarities in United’s pursuit of Antony to the Sancho saga

United’s pursuit of the nine-time Brazil international has drawn parallels to our 2020 pursuit of Sancho.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer identified the former Manchester City youngster as his key target, but the Bundesliga giants didn’t budge on their asking price, while United didn’t want to go above their valuation of the winger.

The stalemate played out throughout the summer transfer window and it meant we had to wait another year to sign the England international.

Manchester United signed Sancho for £73m last summer and Romano believes that United’s pursuit of Antony is playing out in similar fashion to the saga of our number 25.

Romano said: “They [Ajax] want to keep Antony for one more season.

“Signing top players in August, I think it could be the same situation that they had with Sancho in summer of 2020.

“They wanted Sancho – they were obsessed with Sancho, but for Borussia Dortmund it was 120 million euros or nothing and Manchester United were convinced of signing him for 100 millions euros and it didn’t happen.

“When you want to sign top players like Antony, important players from clubs in August it’s never, never easy – they’ll have to match the price tag to sign Antony.

“I don’t see it as an easy one, but he’s one of the big names on the list of Manchester United.”

While Ajax do not want to sell their number 11, Manchester United have also not met their £68m asking price. United’s previous £51m offer fell way short of Ajax’s valuation.

Regardless of Cristiano Ronaldo’s ongoing uncertainty at the club, Ten Hag wants Antony as an addition to our forward line not a replacement for the legendary number seven.

Ten Hag reiterated in his most recent pre-match press conference that United’s forward line needs bolstering.

With Ajax’s season starting this Saturday when they face PSV Eindhoven in the Super Cup, it looks like Manchester United’s only realistic chance of signing the dazzling left footer this summer is if we meet the reigning Eredivisie champion’s asking price.