Amorim to axe dreadful Ten Hag signing in first transfer of Man Utd revamp

The first victim of the Ruben Amorim era has been named, with the incoming Manchester United boss expected to greenlight the departure of Antony, according to a report.

Man Utd sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday after becoming frustrated by the team’s lack of progress under the Dutchman. A host of names have been linked with the role in recent months, including Thomas Frank, Graham Potter and Edin Terzic, but Amorim looks set to take over.

According to Fabrizio Romano, United have swiftly reached an agreement with the Sporting CP manager over his new contract at Old Trafford, and the project he will be involved in.

With a compensation package yet to be finalised, the Portuguese press state that United will send a delegation to Portugal tonight to agree terms with Sporting. That is despite Sporting playing Nacional in the quarter-final of the Taca da Liga (Portuguese League Cup) this evening.

Amorim’s Sporting contract includes a €10million (£8.3m / $10.8m) release clause for major clubs such as United, and the Red Devils look set to pay this in full.

According to an update on United from talkSPORT, Antony is being lined up as the first player to exit Old Trafford following Amorim’s arrival.

The winger ‘has already been told he can leave’ United in January, with Amorim not planning on using him at all.

The report names Antony’s former side Ajax and Brazilian outfit Flamengo as being interested in the wide man, who cost United a mind-boggling £82m rising to £86m (up to €103.4m / $111.8m) in the summer of 2022.

However, United chiefs are well aware that they will have to take a ‘huge’ financial hit when selling Antony, as no club will agree to pay anywhere near that amount to sign him.

The report adds that Ten Hag’s loyalty to the Brazilian last season – even when he was seriously underperforming – caused problems in the dressing room.

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Red Devils look to cut ties with Antony

Reports have previously suggested that Newcastle United and Crystal Palace may begin talks for Antony, believing he is far better than what he has been showing at United.

A return to Ajax, meanwhile, will likely be via a loan move, as they will need help affording his £200,000-a-week wages.

Amorim letting Antony leave as one of his first acts as United boss will immediately get most of the club’s supporters on board. They have grown tired of the player failing to live up to expectations, while INEOS view the £86m deal that brought him to England as terrible value for money.

Amorim will likely use one of Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho or Marcus Rashford on the right flank instead of Antony.

United capturing the 39-year-old tactician might also help them in their pursuit of Sporting starlet Geovany Quenda.

United sporting director Dan Ashworth is reportedly looking to sign the 17-year-old winger in a transfer that shares similarities with Cristiano Ronaldo’s first move to Old Trafford.

However, Sporting rate Quenda highly and could demand as much as €100m (£83.1m / $108m) to try and keep United at bay.

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Man Utd latest: Amorim targets emerge

While Antony could soon be on his way out of United, Amorim is drawing up a list of transfer targets to help the club get back to the very top of English and European football.

TEAMtalk can reveal that defender Goncalo Inacio and wingers Marcus Edwards and Pedro Goncalves are three of the top Sporting stars he would like to reunite with at United.

United chasing Inacio sets up the possibility of a transfer battle with Liverpool, as they are big admirers of the centre-back, too.

Tottenham Hotspur fans would likely be interested to see how Edwards would get on at United as he came through their academy before leaving for Portugal in September 2019.

Separate reports have also backed Amorim to request the signing of deadly Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, though that move looks difficult to complete.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea are currently viewed as Gyokeres’ main suitors in England.

Sporting will demand €60-70m (up to £58.2m / $75.6m) for the Sweden star next summer, despite the fact he has a €100m exit clause in his contract.

Man Utd getting highly rated manager