August 31st 2024.
It has been reported that Manchester United's manager, Erik ten Hag, played a crucial role in preventing two players from leaving Old Trafford on transfer deadline day. The club's management was busy negotiating several deals, which resulted in the signing of Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain for a whopping £50.5 million and the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli for £25 million.
Despite the hectic transfer activity, there were more potential deals in the works. However, Ten Hag swiftly put a stop to the club's plans of offloading Antony and Christian Eriksen. According to sources, Real Betis from La Liga had approached United with loan offers for the two players, but their inquiries were met with a firm rejection.
Antony, who joined Manchester United from Ajax for a record-breaking fee in 2022, has struggled to make an impact at the club. Although there were talks of him being put up for sale earlier in the summer, a loan move did not make sense for United. The same applied to Eriksen, who has had a limited role at the club but was not deemed surplus to requirements by the management.
In the Premier League opener against Fulham, Antony failed to make an appearance and was only given a few minutes in the game against Brighton last weekend. However, his performance was heavily criticized, with former player Joe Cole suggesting that United may want to sell him. Eriksen, on the other hand, is yet to feature for United this season and is likely to face even more competition for a spot in the team following Ugarte's arrival.
Ugarte, who signed a five-year contract with United, expressed his excitement about joining the club, stating that it was a dream come true. "Manchester United is an ambitious club, and I am an ambitious player," he said, adding that he was determined to succeed and would do whatever it takes to help the team win trophies.
One player that Ten Hag did allow to leave was McTominay, despite initially expressing mixed feelings about his departure. The 24-year-old midfielder, who will now join Napoli alongside his Scotland teammate Billy Gilmour, said he was grateful for the opportunity to play for his boyhood club and was eager to embrace his new challenge.
As for Manchester United, they will continue to strive for success and aim to reach the top level in the football world. McTominay, who will be keeping a close eye on his former club, shared his desire to see them do well and thanked them for the unforgettable experience he had as a United player.
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