Amad is forcing Erik ten Hag signing to accept new role at Man United

Erik ten Hag’s transfer trend meant that 80 per cent of Manchester United’s starting defence against Southampton - goalkeeper included - were former Ajax players.

One saved a penalty, another scored and a third, Lisandro Martinez, was one of the men of the match. For all the criticism aimed at the United boss, if there was any game to justify this transfer knack it was this one.

Ten Hag has been keen to underline that while his signings have the commonality of being players he’s formerly worked with, it is not an intentional policy. "First of all it is club decisions, none of them is only my decision," he said in August.

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"It is a decision made by more than just one. But, some, you know also players and personalities and it has to fit also in the finance."

While the aforementioned transfer trend has largely continued with Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, it’s hard to argue that another ex-Ajax player, Antony, would have ‘fit the finance’ under the current regime.

The £85million signing has left fans feeling short-changed with just 11 goals and five assists in 83 matches. Antony remains the second-most-expensive signing in United’s history but can count on one hand the number of minutes he has received this season.

Substituted on for Amad in the 90th-minute at Brighton, he came on in time to see Joao Pedro score a stoppage-time winner for the Seagulls. And to add to the Brazilian’s frustration, the man he replaced that day is firmly keeping him out of the team.

Amad was United’s most potent attacking threat with the team under the cosh before the opener against Southampton.