Manchester United ‘swap deal’ temptation as man turns up for work elsewhere

When is a swap deal not a swap deal? When players are not being swapped by Manchester United or anybody else…

Swapsies

A swap deal is a rare and beautiful thing in transfers and it’s that rarity that makes it intriguing to us. As a wise man once said:

Ooh, a swap deal. Much mooted, but rarely materialise. #oppositedirection

— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) January 31, 2013

We see far more headlines about swap deals than we see swap deals, precisely because of that clash between rarity and intrigue. Swap deals = clicks. They’re so tempting. So, so very, very tempting.

Look at this for a headline…

‘Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd transfer plan receives boost as swap deal takes shape’

How could anybody resist the twin towers of Manchester United and a ‘swap deal’? In hindsight, Alexis Sanchez, but we digress.

So what’s the story, Mirror bods?

‘Manchester United have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of Ajax forward Antony as the Dutch giants close in on a deal to sign Francisco Conceicao.’

Okay so where’s the swap deal?

‘New United boss Erik ten Hag wants Antony in his ideal XI at Old Trafford and the Brazilian forward wants to be reunited with his former coach having put pressure on Ajax to consider allowing him to join the Red Devils in this summer window.’

Okay so where’s the swap deal?

‘Antony – the Dutch side’s star player last season – is hopeful of rekindling his strong relationship with Ten Hag amid reports that the player’s representatives recently travelled to Europe in order to help negotiate a deal this window.’

Okay so where’s the swap deal?

We could do this another seven times – one for each paragraph – but you already know the punchline: There is no swap deal.

The entire story is that Ajax are buying a