Real Madrid will reportedly compete with Barcelona and PSG in the race to sign 22-year-old Brazilian international Antony from Ajax.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Antony will be at the heart of a major tussle in the summer transfer window. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are keen on prising the 22-year-old Brazilian international away from Ajax ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Antony has come leaps and bounds since joining Ajax from Sao Paulo in July 2020. The Brazilian international has successfully filled the void left by the departure of Hakim Ziyech, establishing himself as a key figure for club and country in the process.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a solid 2021/22 campaign thus far, amassing 12 goals and ten assists in 33 appearances for Ajax across all competitions. Antony’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, with some of the most high profile clubs lining up to prise him away from Ajax in the summer transfer window. Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG are three of his prospective suitors.
Barcelona will likely invest in a wide-attacker in the summer transfer window as Ousmane Dembele continues to face an uncertain future at Camp Nou amid his contract standoff with the Blaugrana. In addition, Adama Traore is not guaranteed to join Barcelona permanently when his loan deal expires at the end of the season.
Antony is thus a viable target for Barcelona, although the Brazilian international will likely be a backup candidate if they cannot land Raphinha. As for Real Madrid, big changes are expected in the summer transfer window, with Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale poised to depart from the Santiago Bernabeu. At the same time, Marco Asensio faces an uncertain future at the Spanish club.
So while Kylian Mbappe is expected to join Real Madrid from PSG on a free transfer, Antony could be an option worth exploring. Meanwhile, PSG’s interest in the 22-year-old likely stems from the rampant uncertainties surrounding the future of Mbappe, who will likely join Real Madrid on a Bosman move.
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For now, it looks like the race to sign Antony from Ajax in the summer transfer window has heated up further. It will be interesting to see if any of Real Madrid, Barcelona and PSG can land the 22-year-old Brazilian international or if some other club swoops him away from the Dutch outfit instead.
