Cristiano Ronaldo could be granted transfer wish as Antony 'puts pressure on Ajax'

Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from Manchester United this summer may be facilitated by Ajax forward Antony ‘placing pressure’ on his club to allow him to move to Old Trafford.

Ronaldo wants to leave United after just one season due to their failure to secure Champions League football. The 37-year-old returned to United last year, but the return has not worked out as planned as the club finished sixth in the Premier League last season – 11 points off the top five and enduring a miserable campaign.

The Portuguese superstar may have netted 24 goals in all competitions last season in a deeply dysfunctional team but he will celebrate his 38th birthday next season and can limit what United are capable of doing collectively, alongside being the club’s highest-earning player.

Antony is said to be among the leading transfer targets for Ten Hag who is keen to reunite with the 22-year-old - Ajax's star player last season. United are said to be in pole position to land the Brazilian given his strong relationship with the Red Devils boss at the Amsterdam Arena while the player's representatives recently travelled to Europe in order to discuss a possible transfer this summer.

Antony is primarily a right-sided player, which would add balance to United's attack with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford primarily deployed on the left. Anthony Elanga also recently claimed that he preferred to play on the left rather than on the right, where he had been utilised by former United interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

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