Manchester United News : Antony saga continues before the transfer window closes 

However, they have already started planning for life without Antony, with Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi as Antony's potential successor at the Johan Cruyff Arena, according to reports in De Telegraaf.

According to reports, Ajax has made El Ghazi a target in the case United decides to submit a new and improved offer for Antony that meets his current side's asking price of around £85m. The Red Devils are expected to table another bid in advance of Thursday's transfer deadline, which suggests Ajax could opt to launch a late move for El Ghazi over the coming days.

Ajax rejected Manchester United's €90 million offer for Antony on Friday, and the club is now debating whether to make a higher offer.

Ajax has turned down Manchester United's €90 million offer for Brazil international Antony, a winger who played for Erik Ten Hag during his tenure as Ajax boss.

Manchester United have been interested in the 22-year-old for weeks, and after having an initial €80 million offer rejected earlier this month, they upped their price. However, Ajax has still refused to enter into negotiations.

Discussions between the two teams continue despite the latest offer being turned down, with the transfer deadline approaching on September 1.

What did Antony say about the deal?

Following speculations that his club had rejected the transaction, Antony has revealed he wants to leave Ajax Amsterdam.

"Since February of this year, my agents came to Amsterdam to inform Ajax of my desire to leave the club to face a new challenge and that some interested clubs would arrive and, with them, certainly a great offer," journalist Fabrizio Romano got Antony talking on his Youtube. 

"During the window months, meetings concluded including a proposal from Ajax for contract renewal. I made it clear once again I want to leave the club."

"Today, in a meeting with the board, I expressed my interest in leaving the club, this time with multiple offers on the table. Others have already arrived; Ajax always refuses with the argument it only has five days to replace me.

"I'm not asking to release me, I am asking Ajax to sell me as the highest bid received by a player who plays in the Eredivisie."

After playing in all 33 games for Ajax the previous season, Antony contributed 12 goals and ten assists. The team won their third straight Eredivisie title and advanced to the round of 16 in the Champions League.

Antony would rejoin Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, his former coach at Ajax and the man responsible for signing fellow Dutch defender Lisandro Martinez.

Ten Hag has every reason to be optimistic about Antony's future; the Brazilian, who was just 19 when he agreed to his move to Amsterdam, has quickly become one of Ajax's leading players. However, not even he could have foreseen that his career path would one day lead him to Manchester United.

While ten Hag has players like Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, and Marcus Rashford to work with, he has few other choices, especially on the right wing. Antony would provide the Red Devils with the depth they've been missing since Mason Greenwood was suspended for the season.

However, settling on a new location has been impossible thus far. All of United's offers and overtures have been turned down by Ajax because of the club's reluctance to let their star South American leave.

Erik ten Hag wants to add firepower to his forward line before next week's transfer deadline. He has his eye on a few players: Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven, Christian Pulisic of Chelsea, and Marcus Thuram of Borussia Monchengladbach.

Ten Hag also said Old Trafford would keep Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, and Brandon Williams despite their diminished fitness.