Chelsea could hijack Manchester United’s bid to sign Ajax winger Anthony and have already held talks with his agents, according to 90min.
The Blues have already offloaded Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan and are now looking for attacking options. Antony is considered to be one of the better prospects to emerge from Brazil in recent years.
Since joining Ajax in 2020, the explosive winger has made 78 appearances for the Eredivisie champions, contributing 22 goals and 20 assists following his debut.
Manchester United have been following the 22-year-old’s trail for quite some time. Erik ten Hag is looking at Antony to provide impetus to his attack at Old Trafford.
The South American is reportedly keen to link-up with his former boss but Man Utd face stiff competition as Chelsea have now reportedly entered the race and could hijack United’s attempts to land the exciting attacker.
90min claims that Chelsea chiefs recently met with the player’s agents in the UK, and Thomas Tuchel’s side have been tracking Anthony in their search for attacking reinforcements.
The Blues may feel they can lure him away from Man Utd as they can offer the player Champions League football next season. Moreover, affording Ajax’s £50 million price-tag should not be an issue for Todd Boehly.
How is the deal shaping up?
Antony could be the perfect and economical replacement for Romelu Lukaku at Stamford Bridge. The Belgian was allowed to return to Inter on loan after splashing £97.5 million on his signature last summer.
Timo Werner has lacked accuracy and consistency in front of the goal while Hakim Ziyech has blown hot and cold under Thomas Tuchel. Antony could bolster Tuchel’s attack and his pace would really suit Chelsea in their transitions and counters.
There is no hiding the fact that Antony is one of United’s main targets in attack. The Red Devils lacked consistency and penetration in front of the goal last season. Erik ten Hag believes that the Ajax winger could be the solution to this problem.
It’s going to be interesting to see how things develop if Chelsea formalise their interest. Will the Londoners be able to lure Anthony to the capital with the promise of Champions League football? Or will Anthony’s desire to play under ten Hag again prove pivotal? Let’s see how things develop…
