Antony: What will the Brazilian Dynamic Winger bring to Erik Ten Hag's Man Utd

Manchester United will look to bolster their attack this summer, and Antony is the name on everyone's lips including manager Erik Ten Hag.

Who is Antony?

Since joining Ajax, Antony has made a name for himself as one of the hottest young prospects in Europe. The Brazilian left São Paulo in July 2020 and made the switch to Dutch giants Ajax for a fee in the region of €16m. Antony has been fantastic so far during his time in the Netherlands and played a crucial part in Erik ten Hag's side winning the Eredivisie in the last two seasons.

After winning two Eredivisie titles and racking up 42 goal contributions in 79 games at Ajax, the Brazilian could be on the move this summer.

While it looked like United would sign a striker this summer, that now doesn't look very likely after missing out on Darwin Núñez to Liverpool. According to numerous reports, Antony is the attacker now highest on Ten Hag's wishlist.

Strengths:

Antony has stunning technical ability. His skillfulness and pace make him a very difficult player to defend against. His ball control and first touch are what one would come to expect of a forward-thinking Brazilian player.

Antony is a creative forward having registered 20 assists during his time at Ajax. During his time in Amsterdam, he's averaged 4.55 shot-creating actions per 90.

The Brazilian winger is also really comfortable with the ball at his feet having averaged nearly 12 progressive carries per 90, ranking him amongst the best in his position. In addition to those traits, he also poses somewhat of a goal threat having scored 22 times during his time with de Godzonen.

Weaknesses:

As good as Antony is, there are a few things he could improve. He's left-footed which isn't an issue but as he does play on the right, his reluctance to use his right foot is a problem. Additionally, Antony is renowned for not always making the best decision in the final third.

Where would Antony fit in at United?

United have lacked a quality right-winger for quite a while now. While Jadon Sancho was the player who was supposed to solve that issue, the Englishman's best performances in his debut season at Old Trafford came while playing on the left wing.

Marcus Rashford is also significantly better on the left and Anthony Elanga has also publicly stated that his preferred position is on the left wing.

If United were to sign Antony, he could be used as a right-winger in a front three with Cristiano Ronaldo playing down the middle and either Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford on the left.

Verdict:

Antony would be a very good addition to Ten Hag's squad. Being left-footed, he'd give Ten Hag a different type of attacking option. A right-winger is a position United have needed to improve for some time now and Antony is a very exciting option.

It looks like Ten Hag is targeting players he's worked with previously and players he'll be able to trust. The Dutchman knows how to get the best out of Antony and the Brazilian would know exactly what Ten Hag would expect from him having worked with him for two seasons.

He would reportedly cost around €60 million. While we do know that Ten Hag wants Antony, the price tag could reportedly be an issue in a potential deal. Once the Frenkie de Jong deal is completed, United's plans for the rest of the transfer window should become clearer.