Manchester United agree to sign Ajax winger for £81.3m

The deal is for an initial fee of 95m euros (£81.3m) - which will be the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history. It is subject to a medical, personal terms being finalised and international clearance. Antony, 22, scored 24 goals and provided 22 assists in 82 appearances for Ajax. Antony, who contributed to seven goals in his 11 Champions League appearances for Ajax, made his international debut for Brazil in October 2021 and has two goals in nine appearances. United travel to Leicester City in their next Premier League fixture on Thursday, but Antony would need to receive a work permit before making an appearance. In terms of record Premier League signings, only Pogba's return to United in 2016, Chelsea's £97.5m re-signing of Romelu Lukaku last summer and Manchester City's British record £100m deal for Jack Grealish, also in 2021, have cost more. The attacker becomes United's fifth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of his former Ajax team-mate, defender Lisandro Martinez, midfielder Casemiro from Real Madrid, full-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord and playmaker Christian Eriksen on a free transfer. United have spent more than £210m in this transfer window to back new boss Ten Hag, while several players such as Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Edinson Cavani and Andreas Pereira have left. This is the statement signing Erik ten Hag has been wanting to make all summer - and the fee underlines how keen United were to satisfy their new manager before Thursday's deadline closes. Predominately left-footed, Antony likes to cut in off the right flank. He has exceptional pace, an ability to create chances from nothing and a willingness to work hard. In a sense, he is very much like the players who already occupy the wide positions at United. But it is clear Ten Hag wants greater depth and higher quality. He has already worked out that - as a collective - the players he inherited were not good enough. The big question is whether Antony's arrival will trigger a change of system - or put someone's place under threat, or both. And, as ever, debate will be around Ronaldo and how he fits in a team which has even more pace than before.