Meet the 22-year-old Brazil international winger who becomes the latest big-money signing in a busy summer for Eric Ten Hag’s Red Devils.
One transfer target at a time, Manchester United are leaving no stoned unturned in the pursuit of winning football. Last week, the Red Devils signed a proven defensive midfielder in Casemiro from Real Madrid. Now, the club has signed Brazillian winger Antony Matheus dos Santos — better known simply as Antony — from Dutch champions Ajax.
United agreed to an initial £80.75 million ($93.7 million) transfer fee, plus another £4.25 million ($5 million) in add-ons. Antony completed medicals and agreed to personal terms of a five-year contract with an option for a sixth. The terms of the transfer emphasize Man U’s confidence in the 22-year-old attacker, as he becomes the second-most-expensive signing in the club’s illustrious history.
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Antony will join a reimaged squad at Old Trafford alongside fellow new arrivals Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, and Casemiro. Notably, four of these five footballers have direct links back to Ten Hags’ influential five-year tenure with Ajax in the Netherlands’ top-flight Eredivisie.
Antony could ultimately be the last signing for United this summer as the transfer window dwindles to a close at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 1. With that in mind, let’s discuss everything you need to know about Antony’s next chapter under the pressurized spotlight at Old Trafford.
Antony Contract & Transfer Details
Contract length: 6 years (final year is an option)
Expected weekly wages: Not reported
Free agency: 2027 or 2028
Base transfer fee: $93,697,000 (£80,750,000)
Maximum transfer fee: $98,628,500 (£85,750,000)
Estimated market value: $38,500,000 (via Transfermarkt)
Antony’s Stats Per 90 Minutes
| Category | Stat Per 90 | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0.31 | 66 |
| Assists | 0.78 | 99 |
| Shots on Target | 1.57 | 98 |
| Crosses | 3.61 | 95 |
| Shot-Creating Actions | 4.55 | 88 |
| Interceptions | 1.88 | 98 |
How Antony Fits in at Man United
Even this late into the transfer window, United’s overhaul is very much still a work in progress. The club began its Premier League campaign with a shakey start, losing to Brighton and Brentford to start the season, but managing a thrilling victory over historic rivals Liverpool and a grind-it-out win over Southampton.
United have glaring issues to solve across the pitch, partially due to how they’ve managed their transfer window. A full 20 players left the club, including free transfers of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matić, and Edinson Cavani. Simple math indicates that this runs the risk of causing major issues — the midfield lacks creativity and the ability to win the ball, which the addition of Casemiro should solve. The defense is young, and there’s pressure for the club’s up-and-comers to grow into their roles sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, creating chances and scoring goals shows to be United’s most significant issue. The Red Devils have only managed four goals in four games so far this season and sit 11th in the Premier League table; only Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, and West Ham United have lower scoring outputs.
Right on cue, that’s where Antony will help the club most.
He’s a pacey winger who excels in the final third as a dribbler, passer, and finisher. Whether it’s creating shots for teammates, whipping in crosses for assists, or handling the scoring duties himself — occasionally from an impressive distance — Antony can do it all.
Whether his game fully translates in the biggest, hardest-defending league in the world at his tender age is a question only he can answer; however, a five-year investment in a player like this has every last chance to pay dividends for United’s future.
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