The latest transfer news swirling around Manchester United involves a potential deal with Barcelona for midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with reports indicating that the Red Devils have offered Antony as part of the negotiations.
Ever since Erik ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford in 2022, there have been rumors of his interest in reuniting with his former Ajax player, De Jong. Despite Barcelona being open to selling the Dutchman to reduce their wage bill, De Jong himself has shown a desire to stay put.
With past transfer attempts failing, Manchester United haven’t given up hope of luring De Jong away from Barcelona. Spanish outlet El Nacional has reported that the Red Devils have put forward a swap proposal to the Catalan club in their pursuit of the midfielder.
In this proposed deal, De Jong would make the move to Manchester while Antony would head in the opposite direction to Barcelona. It seems that Manchester United are hesitant to meet Barcelona’s asking price for a straight transfer, hence the swap offer.
However, Barcelona have turned down the swap proposal, insisting that they will only consider a traditional transfer offer for De Jong. This leaves Manchester United to rethink their approach in their quest to secure the midfielder’s services.
As for Antony, the Brazilian winger has struggled to make the desired impact since arriving at Old Trafford from Ajax. His goal and assist numbers have dipped from his first season to his second, leading Manchester United to ponder the possibility of offloading him.
Despite still having several years left on his contract, Manchester United are evaluating their options with Antony amidst his underwhelming performances. The 24-year-old’s future at the club hangs in the balance as the transfer saga involving De Jong continues to unfold.
