Pranav Kannan
Transfer News: Erik ten Hag views Antony as Cristiano Ronaldo replacement at Manchester United
According to Simon Mullock of the Mirror via @utdreport [h/t Manchester Evening News], Erik ten Hag is keen on signing Brazilian winger Antony from Ajax as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo if the Manchester United superstar leaves this summer.
Manchester United were in for a rude shock recently when it was reported that the Portuguese superstar had asked to leave the Red Devils if the right offer came this summer. Whilst it’s still not evident if the club will sell him, if they do, they will need to find a replacement.
One player with whom Manchester United have been linked for quite some time now is a player who has worked with Erik ten Hag previously during their time in Amsterdam- Antony. The Brazilian winger is highly regarded as one of the best young wingers in the world.
Antony made the switch from Sao Paulo to Ajax in 2020 and has since then gone on to become one of Erik ten Hag’s most important players. A pacy winger who is equally adept at scoring and assisting goals, it comes as no surprise that many clubs are interested in the Brazilian sensation.
In 32 matches for the Eredivisie champions this season across all competitions, Antony has scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists. The Brazilian is now a regular in the national team as well, scoring two goals in nine appearances.
Although Antony is a great player and would be a great addition to the squad at Man United, he should definitely not come in as a replacement for Ronaldo. Unless ten Hag wants to deploy Antonio down the middle, fans would hope we get in a proper centre-forward in case CR7 leaves.
Irrespective of whether Ronaldo leaves or not, Manchester United can bring in Antony and add him to an exciting squad. Replacing Ronaldo is not an easy task and such a task cannot be taken lightly.
Whilst it is almost impossible to replace a player of Cristiano Ronaldo’s pedigree or experience, bringing in a young talented striker who knows where the back of the net is might just be the logical next step for us.
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Nevertheless, it could just mean that ten Hag wants to build his attack around the Brazilian star. Given his young age, that is a big claim to make, of course, but the ex-Ajax boss has seen enough in Holland to take the most sensible decision.
