Ajax star Antony is pushing to join Manchester United before the close of the summer transfer window, GOAL understands, as he has decided he doesn't want to wait any longer to take the next step in his career.
The Brazilian has missed training sessions and was not part of the squad for the Eredivisie clash against Sparta on Sunday in a sudden escalation of his pressure campaign against his current club.
The winger's absence is due to calculated decisions from his entourage as they look to convince the Dutch organisation to let him leave for the Premier League this month.
What do we know about Man Utd's pursuit of Antony?
Manchester United have been trying to sign the 22-year-old throughout the summer.
However, the Red Devils have so far refused to match Ajax's asking price, which was initially set at €80 million (£68m/$80m) but has since been raised to near €100m (£85m/$100m).
The Amsterdam team are playing hard ball in the wake of Manchester United's horrendous start to the season which has left them with zero points from two Premier League matches following defeats against Brighton and Brentford.
Manchester United's desperation to improve their attacking options under new coach Erik ten Hag by bringing in another exciting prospect such as Antony has prompted Ajax to raise their asking price.
But Antony is now urging Ajax to strike a deal with the Old Trafford side, making it clear that his wish is to join Manchester United before the end of the transfer period.
The Red Devils are considering improving on their previous offer of €70m (£59m/$70m) for the ex-Sao Paulo player and will make a new bid in the near future.
What has Antony said about Man Utd?
Antony, who joined Ajax from Sao Paulo in 2020, recently suggested that he wants to leave the club.
The winger is signed to a contract that runs until 2025, but he refused to commit his future to Ajax in an interview with De Telegraaf, saying: “No, to be perfectly honest, I can’t [promise to stay]. Now I am focusing on playing football and have put all other matters in the hands of my agents and my brother. They will advise me on what is best."
The Brazil international has made 82 appearances for Ajax in all competitions, scoring 24 times.
He stood out recently with an excellent solo goal as his side ran out 6-1 winners against Groningen last week.