Ajax 'refusing to budge on Antony valuation amid Manchester United interest'

Ajax are reportedly holding firm on their €80m (£66.9m) valuation of Antony, with the Dutch champions determined to keep hold of the Brazilian beyond the end of this summer's transfer window.

The 22-year-old scored 12 goals and registered 10 assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for Ajax during the 2021-22 campaign and is believed to have been identified by Manchester United as a leading transfer target.

Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag is said to be keen on a reunion with the South American, but having already sold Lisandro Martinez to the 20-time English champions this summer, the Eredivisie giants are determined to keep hold of their key attacker.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Ajax will not budge on their €80m (£66.9m) valuation of Antony, meaning that he is likely to remain in Amsterdam for the 2022-23 campaign.

The report claims that Man United accept that they are short of attacking depth ahead of the new season, and they will attempt to boost their squad with a new forward before the window closes.

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Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder recently said that the club were not planning to sell any other important players this summer in a blow to Man United.

"We have sold a certain amount of players and I am expecting nobody else to leave. We talk on a daily basis. It would be very bad for us if we would lose another starting player," Schreuder told reporters.

Meanwhile, Ajax sporting director Gerry Hamstra later insisted that "nobody is going anywhere now" when asked about the speculation surrounding Antony's future.

"I know some of our players are still targeted and they are trying to pull them away," he told reporters. "But we are keeping the squad we have left. Nobody is going anywhere now. We have made it clear to the players, we have had big talks with the players who have a strong desire to leave the club at this moment.

"Let us make this clear, we did not even want to lose [Lisandro] Martinez, but the figures for the transfer fee were going to such heights that anyone in football knows how it works then.

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"We had to let him go. But we still have massive ambitions at Ajax. We play in the Champions League and we can't afford to let go of six key players."

The Brazilian has represented his Dutch side on 78 occasions since arriving from Sao Paulo in July 2020, contributing 22 goals and 20 assists in the process.

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Old Trafford remains unclear, with the Portugal international still said to be determined to leave Man United before the end of the transfer window.

Anthony Martial is back at the club this summer after spending the second half of last season on loan with Sevilla, and he is expected to lead the line against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon with support from Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.