“When United come calling they must be rubbing their hands.”
Manchester United have just won their second Premier League game in a row, defeating Southampton away in a very competitive game.
Wins will do the Old Trafford faithful the world of good, especially as Erik ten Hag continues to implement his style of football onto the team, but there’s no doubt that they still need reinforcements.
There has been a huge exodus at the club with massive names such as Paul Pogba and Juan Mata leaving, and continuing uncertainty around Cristiano Ronaldo’s future.
Casemiro has already joined the cause, and it looks like they are in the hunt for another Brazilian, Ajax winger Antony.
However, buying players so near the end of the transfer window, when clubs know that they are rich and desperate means that prices sky rocket.
Their latest bid for the midfielder was £90m and it still fell though, so for this to get over the line, it appears absurd amounts of money will be needed, and that concerns BT Sports pundit Peter Crouch.
"The money is just crazy these days and it's stopping players from moving"
"I feel a bit for the lad, he obviously wants to come to United"@rioferdy5, @petercrouch & Paul Scholes discuss whether Ajax winger Antony will end up at Old Trafford this summer 🔴 pic.twitter.com/v0BvSPidN2
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 27, 2022
“My worry is that United look desperate, it’s like the [Frenkie] De Jong situation over the course of the summer. Transfer targets haven’t come and it’s getting closer and closer (to the end of the window) and it’s obvious United need players.
“Ajax are rubbing their hands. European clubs now with top young players, when United come calling they must be rubbing their hands. They’re thinking €100million.”
In case anyone was accusing the former Liverpool striker of being biased, ex-United legend Rio Ferdinand also admired that his old team face issues in this market.
“That’s the problem now with Man United, without Champions League there has to be a way of enticing players. At the moment, financials is the only way. They’ve got to pay top dollar above everyone else for that reason.
“Normally you come to Manchester United for Champions League football, history, and the opportunity to win. Two of those are out of the equation.”
The former defender was more accepting of this current issue however, and believes that it’s just how the club will have to do business until they produce more success on the pitch.
“Ten Hag wants to build a team that is recognisable to him and his personality. He sees him as one of these players that can carry that out for them.
“At the end of the day what will be, will be. Ajax don’t really need to sell, I don’t think they’re under any financial pressure to do that. Man United are going to have to go above and beyond what they first expected to pay.”
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