Manchester United reach agreement for £85m Antony: Decoding his stats
Manchester United have agreed to sign Ajax winger Antony for £85m. As per Sky Sports, the Red Devils will pay a guaranteed £80.75m and another £4.25m in add-ons. The 22-year-old is however unlikely to face Leicester City in the Premier League on Thursday (IST) given he has to sort out a visa and work permit. Here we decode the player's stats.
Agreement reached!
Why does this story matter?
Antony was Erik ten Hag's priority signing for United and despite the club leaving it late and paying a hefty sum, fans will be happy to see this move happen. Antony expressed his desire to leave Ajax and wanted to re-unite with his former boss. United had several offers rejected for the Brazilian as Ajax managed to get the price higher.
Second-most expensive signing in United's history
Antony is the fifth signing for United in the 2022 summer transfer window. Notably, he has become the second-most expensive transfer in Man United's history behind Paul Pogba, who rejoined the club from Juventus in 2016 for a hefty £89m. The move for Antony also sees Ajax receive the largest fee by a Dutch club.
What will Antony add?
Antony will on the right wing for United and is expected to cut a lot inside with his powerful left foot. He is very direct and has a box of tricks to unlock opponent teams. Antony has improved his game highly under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and is expected to gain more vitality. Antony is also quick with his feet and has pace.
Decoding Antony's stats at Ajax
In the 2021-22 season, Antony scored 12 goals and made 10 assists for Ajax in all competitions. In the season before that, he managed 10 goals and nine assists. He played two matches this season, scoring twice and making two assists. Overall, he managed 24 goals and 21 assists for the Dutch champions. in the Eredivisie, he clocked 18 goals and 14 assists.
Antony played for Sao Paolo before joining Ajax
Antony started his career with Brazilian club Sao Paolo, scoring six goals in 52 matches. He also chipped in with six assists.
Breaking down Antony's stats in the 2021-22 Eredivisie season
In the 2021-22 Eredivisie season, Antony played 23 games for Ajax (G8 A4). As per Opta, five of his goals came from inside the box. He clocked 27 shots on target and created 37 chances. Antony had a pass accuracy of 82.31%. The youngster made 22 tackles, completed 42 take-ons, and contested 219 duels. He also made 101 ball recoveries.
Two Eredivisie trophies and an Olympic gold medal
Antony won two Eredivisie titles with Ajax in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively. He also won the KNVB Cup last year. Antony was adjudged Eredivisie Player of the Month in December 2020. He has also won the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal with Brazil.
