Chelsea transfer news: Blues scout on Antony transfer – ‘we couldn’t get him’

Chelsea experienced an interest in Antony extensive ahead of he completed a €100 million transfer from Ajax to Manchester United this summer months.

Brazil winger Antony is by now off the mark at Old Trafford, scoring the 1st of United’s goals in their 3-1 gain over Arsenal a 7 days very last Sunday, in what was his Pink Devils debut.

Antony and Lisandro Martinez have been reunited with their previous Ajax manager Erik ten Hag this summertime, and it currently appears to be unimaginable that they may possibly have been plying their trade somewhere else.

But Chelsea experienced been retaining tabs on the 22-year-old Antony for a extensive time.

“With each other with [former Ajax head scout] Hans van der Zee we saw him for the 1st time in Brazil’s youth ranks and we had been both of those charmed by him,” Chelsea scout Piet de Visser explained to Voetbal Nieuws podcast The King of Manchester.

‘Planned to indicator him from Ajax’

“That was a few yrs in the past, just right before he went to Ajax. I imagined he had to make an intermediate step and then Hans instructed Ajax. And then we would get him right from Ajax.”

Of study course, that is not what happened. After 22 goals and 22 helps in all competitions throughout two seasons, and a Dutch domestic double in 2021, it was no lengthier probable to keep Antony very so under the radar. When left the Johan Cruyff Arena for United in Might, Chelsea’s prospects died.

“We couldn’t get him,” de Visser defined. “I would have wanted him. He is a boy with poison in his backside. He at times crosses the line, but he comes from the favela, does not he?”