ten Hag slams 'naive' Man Utd after defeat to Brentford
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Manchester United could bring Atletico Madrid forward Matheus Cunha to Old Trafford for around £12million less than it would cost to land Ajax winger Antony, according to reports. The Red Devils are understood to be keen on the addition of at least one new attacker before next month’s all-important transfer deadline, with Erik ten Hag still looking to improve his squad after their disastrous start to the new Premier League campaign.
United have been linked with Antony since the end of last season, with the Brazilian wide man having impressed under the guidance of Ten Hag during the latter’s time in charge of Ajax. A move has proven difficult for United to engineer, though, with their frustrations having led them to identify Cunha as another target at the top of the pitch over the last few weeks.
The 13-time Premier League champions are believed to be weighing up a formal offer for Cunha, who chipped in with seven goals and seven assists for Atletico in all competitions throughout the previous campaign. The reality is that the Red Devils could end up paying as much as £58m to secure the 23-year-old’s services, which is still less than it would take to tempt Ajax into selling Antony, according to Marca.
It is claimed that Atletico are yet to receive a bid from United, but the Red Devils are quietly planning their approach behind closed doors and could decide to firm up their interest in Cunha in the not-too-distant future. The Spanish heavyweights are only said to be willing to sell Cunha if his release clause of around £58m is met, though.
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Meanwhile, a move for Antony would likely cost United just shy of £70m, with Ajax still hoping to keep their prized asset on their books for at least another season. It seems as though Cunha would be the most cost-effective option for Ten Hag but it remains to be seen whether the Dutchman will sanction a bid for the former RB Leipzig and Hertha Berlin striker before the summer window closes in only a few weeks’ time.
Cunha turned plenty of heads with his impressive performances for Atletico last season despite having to contend with the likes of Luis Suarez, Joao Félix, Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa for regular first-team minutes at the Wanda Metropolitano. The feeling at the club is that Cunha could ‘explode’ into life over the course of the new campaign if he keeps improving under the management of Diego Simeone, which further suggests that any impending offer that falls below the £58m mark will simply be rejected out of hand.
The player is also said to have very little interest in joining United as things stand, according to Mundo Deportivo, as he remains happy with life in Madrid and has no intention of changing clubs before the end of the transfer window. United previously agreed a deal at club level with Barcelona to secure the signature of Frenkie de Jong, but were reportedly thwarted by the midfielder’s reluctance to move and it seems likely that a similar situation could arise with regards to Cunha even if the Red Devils opt to pay his release clause over the coming days.
United have endured a turbulent time of things in the transfer market to date, with Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen their only new arrivals of the entire summer window as things stand. Ten Hag will now be desperate to build on his previous recruitment drive by snapping up a new forward as a matter of priority, but the 52-year-old will seemingly need to work hard to convince Cunha that a move to Old Trafford would be in his best interests.
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The post Man Utd learn Matheus Cunha and Antony price difference as coaches predict ‘explosion’ first appeared on europesportsnews.com.
