Antony left out of Ajax squad to face Sparta Rotterdam as Man Utd move edges closer

ten Hag remains coy on Ronaldo's Man Utd future

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Manchester United target Antony has not been included in Ajax’s matchday squad for their game against Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday. The forward is reportedly refusing to train for the club and is keen to head to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes.

Ten Hag is keen to bolster his attacking ranks this summer, regardless of whether Cristiano Ronaldo manages to force an exit from the club or not. The Portuguese international is keen to depart in favour of a team competing in the Champions League this season, though United have insisted that the forward is not for sale.

United have looked at several options over the past few months, though Ten Hag is keen to reunite with Antony. The Brazilian has since been dropped by Ajax, with manager Alfred Schreuder revealing that the attacker is not in the right headspace to represent the club.

He said: “Antony is not in the squad. I spoke with Antony and he told me that he didn’t feel 100% ready to play. I only want players in the squad that are 100% focused on Ajax.”

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Antony scored eight and assisted four in 23 Eredivisie appearances last season, and his versatility across the frontline is an attractive prospect for United given their lack of depth in the final third. Though it will come at a significant cost if the Red Devils are to meet the asking price of the 22-year-old, with Ajax expected to demand approximately £85million for his services.

Ten Hag will be hoping that the arrival of Antony, potentially, will spark a reaction in the dressing room – along with the signing of Casemiro. The Red Devils have lost the opening two matches of the season to Brighton and Brentford, with their match against Liverpool on Monday night an opportunity to spark a revival.

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Though former Tottenham and Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp does not believe that the manager is at fault for the poor performances, pointing the finger at his squad instead. He told The Sun: “How many of this lot would have got in the team ten or 12 years ago? They’re seven or eight players short and it is going to take years to fix.

“Put Pep Guardiola in charge of that lot and he’d have no chance without a load of reinforcements. United are so far off the top, it’s scary. Whoever is in charge of recruitment at Old Trafford needs to have a look at themselves, because it’s been non-existent. United spent heavily but then started looking at Marko Arnautovic. My God! I had to check he was still playing.”

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