With Antony already being a starter for Manchester United, we may sometimes forget how much of a saga it’s been for the Red Devils to take him away from Ajax this summer, as the negotiations dragged until the final days of the transfer window.
The Dutch side were initially said to be demanding €80m for the move, and as the end of the market got closer, they reportedly raised their request to €100m. That’s the price the Red Devils ended up paying for the winger, with bonuses included.
Today, Brazilian outlet TNT Sports features an interview with Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder ahead of their Champions League clash against Liverpool, and one of the subjects was Antony’s transfer to Manchester United.
The coach made it clear that his club were always open to the idea of selling Antony, as they had a good relationship with the player. The problem was the timing of the Old Trafford side.
“That was, for me, disappointing, the way it happened. I spoke about it. But of course he can make this transfer. It’s also the philosophy of Ajax, they play two or three years good and they can go. So for him it’s a perfect next step, it can be very good. But the moment in that window was, for us, not good,” Schreuder told TNT Sports‘ Fred Caldeira.
“Of course, I talked a lot with him. He’s a great guy, he’s a great person. And of course he told me also that he wanted to leave. Because he comes from Brazil to Ajax to make a next step. And that’s also what we want. We also want players to come sometimes to take a next step. That’s good for both. But the timing was, for us, not perfect.”
Antony joined Manchester United on a five-year deal, and has one goal in two appearances for the club so far.
