Is Antony beginning to justify his £81 million price tag?
In a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, the Manchester United winger scored one goal and provided an assist for another as his team climbed to third place in the Premier League points table.
Antony became the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history when he signed for those with Man United tickets in August for an initial cost of 95 million euros (£81.3 million).
The Brazilian has made 35 appearances for the Red Devils this season across all competitions, tallying eight goals and two assists.
After United’s victory, former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live, “We said we needed more goals and assists out of Antony, and he produced.”
“He was, in my opinion, the deciding factor between the two teams.”
After Forest goalie Keylor Navas had denied Anthony Martial, Antony scored the game’s first goal in the 32nd minute.
After a driving run, he passed Diogo Dalot through, and the full-back scored United’s second goal with 14 minutes left on the clock.
“It’s crucial that he score the 1-0 rather than the 4-0. After the game,” Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, a former Chelsea forward, told Sky Sports that the player needed to score more goals.
“He can identify Dalot [for the second goal]. He played well and seemed at ease.”After the game, he was praised for his “quality,” which made the difference between the teams after his goal against Forest snapped a streak of six games without a plan.
Among Antony’s season, highlights for those with Man United tickets are his goals against Manchester City and Arsenal, as well as his game-winning goal against Barcelona in the round of 32 of the Europa League.
But, United manager Erik Ten Hag chastised the Brazilian for needless showboating in October.
The 23-year-old, who moved to Ajax from Brazil mid-CoViD and played for them under Ten Hag, made 82 appearances for the Dutch champions and contributed 24 goals and 22 assists.
In 15 appearances for Brazil, he has also scored two goals.
On Sky Sports, Dalot told his teammate, “He had a fantastic game too.” “He is reaping the benefits of his season-long effort.”
De Gea turns down a new deal, confident of extension.
According to The Sun, David de Gea, the custodian for Manchester United, has declined to sign a new three-year contract that would have required a significant wage drop.
The Spain international has been in great form for United this season, recording 20 shutouts in all competitions.
A new contract is being discussed with him, but according to The Sun, he has no intention of taking a wage cut of £9 million per year to remain at the club.
With £375,000 a week, De Gea is now United’s highest-paid player. According to reports, their contract request is for £200,000 per week.
The 32-year-old hesitates to accept such conditions but is still optimistic that United can find a middle ground to extend his stay.
Under Erik Ten Hag this season, De Gea has been incredibly impressive. His career was initially in question following a dismal league season debut.
Since then, though, he has consistently played between the sticks. The management has praised the Spaniard for his numerous outstanding saves.
Ten Hag praised De Gea for his improved distribution before the World Cup, calling him “magnificent.” That the Dutchman wants to keep him is obvious.
The present contract for De Gea expires in June, but United can extend it for a further year. These might cause the clause to apply.
Transfer Watch
Football Insider claims that Manchester United is presently in the lead in the competition to sign Monaco defender Axel Disasi in the summer.
The Frenchman’s contract expires in 2025, so Monaco may want to invest in him quickly before it’s too late. The defender is also attracting interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.
The Sun claims that Besiktas is interested in acquiring Burnley’s Dutch striker and fan favourite among those with Man United tickets, Wout Weghorst, on a long-term basis. Weghorst transferred from the Turkish team to Manchester United during the January transfer window.
The lanky forward had a disastrous stint at Old Trafford, and Besiktas is interested in re-signing him because a long-term transfer to the Red Devils appears doubtful.
To replace David de Gea in the summer, Gazzetta dello Sport (via Fichajes) reports that Manchester United is interested in signing Inter Milan custodian Andre Onana.
Onana was an Ajax player under Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, and is said to be the ideal fit for his style of play, also to the please of the loyal Man United ticket holder.
Fichajes claims that to sign Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, Manchester United will have to fend off interest from bitter rivals Manchester City.
The contract for Bastoni expires in the summer of 2019, and there is no sign of renewal. According to the source, Manchester United wants to take advantage of the opportunity and buy him to give Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez a suitable rotation alternative.
Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, two stars for Brighton & Hove Albion, are the targets of a £150 million double raid by Manchester United this summer. Erik ten Hag’s team is reportedly interested in signing two Brighton talents to strengthen their roster, according to Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke.
According to Defensa Central’s report (via CaughtOffside), Manchester United might come as a surprise suitor for the rumoredly uneasy Leroy Sané.
The German has not started contract negotiations with Bayern Munich; his contract expires in June 2025. The story also says the Bavarians might be persuaded to sell the player this summer.
Manchester United is reportedly keeping an eye on RB Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo, whose contract expires in 2024, according to BILD (h/t SportWitness).
The Red Devils are eager to sign the Spaniard, but it’s thought that Olmo wants to play in the Champions League next year. Thus United’s ambitions could only be fulfilled if they entered the continent’s top club competition.
Fichajes claims that to get Victor Osimhen from Napoli, Manchester United will have to fend off Bayern Munich’s interest.
Both teams view Osimhen as their long-term leading scorer because he is one of the season’s most effective strikers.
“Every game is a final”- Ten Hag.
The manager of Manchester United says he will not prioritise one competition over another because his team is still involved in three different races and is in the middle of a demanding stretch of games.
“What can we do as we take this game by game? ” stated Ten Hag. United improved their chances of finishing in the top four of the Premier League with their victory over Steve Cooper’s relegation-threatened Forest at the City Ground.
This time of the season, Ten Hag stated, “The points are getting more expensive because they are all finals, they are fighting against relegation, they are giving their lives, and this is every opponent, or they go for the top, so you have to fight and battle for every point.”
A string of injuries makes their hectic schedule even more difficult. Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and forward Marcus Rashford were already absent for United on Sunday when midfielder Marcel Sabitzer suffered a groyne injury during pregame warm-ups.
A string of injuries makes their hectic schedule even more difficult. Marcus Rashford, Raphael Varane, and Lisandro Martinez were already absent for United, while midfielder Marcel Sabitzer went down with a groyne injury on Sunday.
Diego Dalot stated, “Two critical games, we want to be able to challenge for trophies.” “We now can approach a final and reach a final, and we should triumph in both contests.”
With United scripting a quiet resurgence back into elite football, the already tremendous interest in the Manchester Club has shot up even higher. Hence, there may be better options than using official retailer sites to buy your Man United tickets, and trusted resellers can help you source authentic tickets.