Manchester United have completed the signing of Anthony from Ajax for a total package of €100m: €95m transfer fee plus €5m in future additions.
He will sign a five-year contract, which runs until 2027.
The Brazilian becomes Eric Ten Hag’s fifth summer signing after Terrell Malacia from Feyenoord, Christian Eriksen in a free deal, Lisandro Martinez from Ajax and Casemiro from Real Madrid.
The confirmation of the transfer ends several weeks of speculation and negotiations between the two clubs, which were involved in many moves during the summer.
Transfer ends weeks of negotiations
Ajax held out for the fee, having previously rejected offers of €80m and €90m earlier in the window, with that price being too good to turn down.
They wanted to give new coach Alfred Schroeder the best chance of competing, having already lost players like Martinez, Sebastian Haller, Nasir Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch.
It’s also the third – and possibly last – commercial plot between Ajax and Manchester United this summer, with Tin Hag and Martinez going to Old Trafford this summer for a combined fee of just over €60m.
An agreement has been reached to transfer @Anthony 00 🤝🔴#MUFC
– Manchester United (ManUtd) August 30 2022
Ten Hag was eager to reunite with Anthony after witnessing his development at the Johan Cruyff Arena over the years when the two were at Ajax.
Anthony became the biggest sale in the history of Ajax and Eredivisie, as well as the second biggest transfer for Manchester United after Paul Pogba.
In addition to this, he is also the third most expensive Brazilian footballer ever after Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain and Philippe Coutinho’s move from Liverpool to Barcelona.
He is expected to be unavailable to play against Leicester City on Thursday but could make his club debut at home to Arsenal when the two teams meet on Sunday afternoon.
