Manchester United target fuels transfer speculation after being absent from pre-season training - Reports

Antony, who is linked with a move to Manchester United, was absent from Ajax's pre-season training, according to the Manchester Evening News. The attacker was not pictured in any of the training sessions.

Ajax have appointed Alfred Schreuder as their new manager after Erik ten Hag left to join United ahead of the 2022-23 season. The tactician took charge of training for the first time since being announced the manager of the Amsterdam-based club. However, there was no sign of Antony in the training camp.

Antony wasn't part of the Brazil squad in the recently concluded international break. That means the 22-year-old attacker has not received an extended pre-season break from the club.

According to the aforementioned source, Ajax have also not yet commented on why the Brazilian international was missing from pre-season training. That adds more speculation regarding his future at the club amid links to United.

Antony was not the only player linked with a move to Manchester United who was absent from Ajax's pre-season training. Dutch defender Jurrien Timber was also not part of the training. However, the 21-year-old defender was part of the Netherlands squad in the UEFA Nations League and has got an extended break.

The Red Devils, meanwhile, see Antony as the ideal player to solve their right-wing issues, which have persisted for the past few years. The 22-year-old winger had a great 2021-22 campaign with Ajax, scoring 12 goals and providing ten assists in 32 outings across competitions.

Despite being linked with a move to Old Trafford all summer, Antony is part of Schreuder's plans at the club. He said (via Manchester Evening News):

"Clearly, we want to keep the boy. He has a contract until 2025, but I'm not about that [any individual players]. I'm about the squad and I really want to work with him. He knows that and the club know that too."

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Manchester United will need new backup goalkeeper this summer

The Red Devils will need to sign a new backup goalkeeper in the summer transfer window. According to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Manchestet United have loaned out Dean Henderson to newly promoted Nottingham Forest for a season. The deal does not include an option to make the move permanent, though.

Manchester United have been linked with many goalkeepers who could play backup to David De Gea.

According to The Metro, United are in talks to sign Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann. The Hornets were relegated from the Premier League last season, which could drastically lower the cost of signing the Austrian stop-stopper.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are yet to make a signing this summer.