Manchester City overtake Barcelona as favourites to sign Ajax forward | OneFootball

A few weeks ago, Pep Guardiola is said to have recommended the signing of Ajax forward Antony Matheus dos Santos to Joan Laporta for Barcelona. Now, according to reports from El Nacional, Manchester City themselves are said to be in the pursuit of the young star, with Guardiola desperate to get him to the Etihad.

The 21-year old winger is one of Ajax’s most significant finds this season. He most recently scored against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League in the Dutch side’s dominating win. His success in the Eredivisie and UCL has garnered interest from several top European clubs.

Apart from Manchester City and Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Monaco are said to be interested in his signing too.

Needless to say, his performances at the top level have attracted a lot of media attention. The result of the same is an enormous increase in his market value, so much so that Barcelona must reconsider his signing.

The Catalan club are still in a deep economic crisis and cannot shell out large amounts at the moment. Given that the club’s biggest transfer target in the summer is Erling Haaland, it will be challenging to make the transfer of Antony a reality.

Moreover, Barcelona’s good relations with Ajax, too, cannot come to the rescue. The two sides have shared a special connection over the decades, most recently seen in the moves of Frenkie de Jong and Sergino Dest.

At the moment, though, Pep Guardiola’s side seem to be in the driver’s seat to acquire the Brazilian’s services.