Pranav Kannan
Transfer News: Ajax are demanding big money from Manchester United for their players
According to De Telegraaf reporter Mike Verweij via Twitter account TheEuropeanLad (h/t Sun), Ajax are demanding huge money for Manchester United targets Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Jurrien Timber and this means that the trio could stay in Amsterdam next season.
Manchester United have appointed former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag as their new coach ahead of next season and not surprisingly, the Red Devils are being linked with a number of players from Ajax as possible transfers.
Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Jurrien Timber are all said to be on the radar of Man Utd as they look to complete a squad rebuild and build a competitive team for next season. Having already worked with these players at Amsterdam, ten Hag will know exactly what he will be getting with these players.
However, things don’t seem to be as straightforward for the Dutch tactician and the Red Devils with the Eredivisie giants apparently holding out for big sums of money for each of the aforementioned players.
The Dutch champions want £69million for Antony whilst they are also demanding £52million each for Lisandro Martinez and Jurrien Timber, which brings the grand total to £173m.
Economic feasibility?
It is no secret that Manchester United are keen on rebuilding their faltering squad ahead of next season and all three players will be great additions.
However, at the fee at which Ajax are demanding, the Red Devils will do a great job in securing even one of the aforementioned players this transfer window. Signing Antony seems like the likelier option although if they had to pick one amongst the three, it must be one of the central defenders.
United’s quality and depth in the backline have been paltry, to say the least, over the past few seasons. Raphael Varane is undoubtedly quality and could continue to thrive under Erik ten Hag but his partners have been appalling at best.
Harry Maguire has been disappointing in the past couple of seasons. Victor Lindelof has talent but tends to be extremely unreliable at times while Eric Bailly cannot be relied on to be a regular starter for us.
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Thus, if Ajax are going to hold out for these kinds of amounts for their players, then Man United must pick and choose. It would be a wiser choice to pick either Timber or Martinez given our need for quality at the back.
But while we do have Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga, it wouldn’t be surprising to see us make a charge to land Antony as well- who was so highly trusted by ten Hag in Holland.
