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Manchester United announce £85.5m agreement to sign Antony from Ajax
Manchester United have announced that they have agreed an £85.5m fee with Ajax to sign Brazil winger Antony, with a medical done according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Red Devils have been chasing a left-footed right winger all summer with Antony as the top target, but the club had been hesitant to match the asking price for the 22-year-old.
But after a shocking start to the season the club have taken the plunge and now officially announced that a deal has been done for for £81.1m, plus a further £4.4m in add-ons.
The official statement claims that the deal is subject to international clearance, personal terms and a medical being completed, but according to Romano that is all done and the deal is just waiting on a work permit and visa being issued.
The player won’t be available for Manchester United’s next game against Leicester on Thursday, but he could make his debut for the club against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.
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Antony has shone in the Eredivisie over the last two seasons and a move to a top club has been on the cards for a while now, but nobody could have imagined this fee.
At £85.5m he is the second most expensive signing in the club’s history and in a season where there is so much expectation and so much pressure to succeed he will need to hit the ground running.
But there is no denying just how skilful and talented he is and he will offer plenty of qualities to the United squad that they have been missing out wide in recent seasons.
He is direct and quick, with great feet and an eye for goal, despite his record of just eight league goals last season looking rather grim.
But importantly Erik Ten Hag has got another player in that he trusts and rates and he will now come into the side and provide competition and depth as they look to get back into the Champions League for next season.
In other Manchester United news, starlet Ethan Laird shone on his debut for QPR after season-long loan deal