Manchester United have not given up their pursuit of Ajax winger Antony, according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

The Brazilian’s €80m (£68m) price tag has been the main issue in negotiations and, while it is still seen as the major stumbling block, Sheth says United remain keen on signing the player if an agreement can be reached:

“It’s not been ruled out as far as Manchester United are concerned. He is a player they are remaining interested in but, until that valuation is compromised, it’s going to be a difficult deal to do.”

To be honest, it’s hard to see Ajax compromising on their valuation of Antony at the moment. They have raised a lot of funds from the sales of Lisandro Martinez, Sebastien Haller and Ryan Gravenberch so they are under no pressure to sell.

It’s not as though United are the only team interested in the 22-year-old either, with Liverpool and Chelsea having also been credited with an interest in recent weeks.

However, manager Erik ten Hag is clearly a fan of his former player, and he could do with strengthening his options on the right flank. It remains to be seen how far United will go in terms of the fee but, as things stand, a deal seems pretty unlikely.