- Brazilian wanted out of Amsterdam
- Made a transfer request
- Secured big-money switch to England
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazil international made it clear that he wanted to follow Erik ten Hag to Old Trafford despite the Eredivisie champions expressing a desire for any transfer to be delayed for another 12 months. Those pleas fell on deaf ears, much to the annoyance of Van der Sar at his team of directors and coaches in Amsterdam.
WHAT THEY SAID: Former United goalkeeper Van de Sar told The Times of Ajax seeing star turns prised from their clutches in the last window: “It was our opinion they should stay for another year. We gave a firm 'no' to Arsenal when they came first for Lisandro [Martinez]; we fought hard to keep him. It was [an] economic [decision] but it was a hard one to take. We knew there was interest but not at that level and it was too late to find a good replacement. I don't think the way [Antony] handled it was the correct one, but it's important all the players who leave Ajax have success because it reflects well on us.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Antony handed in a transfer request in order to get his big-money deal to go through, with the South American going on to make history at United as the first man to net in his first three Premier League appearances for the club.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Van der Sar has seen a move of his own to Old Trafford speculated on, with United still in the market for a director of football, but he has ruled out a return to England being made any time soon.