Chelsea rival Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United for Antony

Chelsea are reportedly the latest entrants in the race to sign Ajax winger Antony who is also chased by Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

According to Fichajes, Chelsea have registered an interest in signing AFC Ajax and Brazil winger Antony in the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old is also being chased by other European giants in Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Antony joined Ajax in the summer of 2020 from Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo. The winger had a solid debut campaign in the Netherlands but has taken his game up a notch this season. So far in 2021/22, the 22-year-old speedster has racked up a return of 12 goals and ten assists from 33 matches in all competitions, putting clubs across Europe on notice.

Manchester United have emerged as one of his strongest suitors, with the report even claiming that the Red Devils might be the favourites for Antony’s signing. That is because the Premier League giants are set to name current Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag as their next manager, and the Dutch tactician is reportedly keen on taking the Brazilian along with him.

With Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata set to depart and Marcus Rashford regressing at an alarming rate, Manchester United could benefit from adding another attacking player in the form of Antony next summer. But they will have to stave off competition from rivals Chelsea, who have now entered the fray for his signing, along with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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Chelsea have a packed attacking unit as things stand. But question marks persist over the future of Christian Pulisic, who has failed to perform at the level expected. Timo Werner, too, has been linked with a summer exit, which could open a spot in the attacking department in Thomas Tuchel’s side. And Antony is being lined up as a target by the Blues.

However, Chelsea will first need to resolve their ownership issues before pursuing the Brazilian, as they are currently under sanction and cannot bring in any new faces.

At Barcelona, Antony is being viewed as a replacement for either Ousmane Dembele or Adama Traore on the right flank. Dembele’s contract runs out at the end of the season, but talks have resumed over an extension in light of his recent form. Should he stay, Barcelona might not need a new right-winger unless they decide not to sign Adama permanently, in which case someone like Antony could be a viable target.

Also Read: Chelsea and Abramovich in limbo: What do the UK government sanctions mean for the club?

Real Madrid are also battling Barcelona and the rest of the clubs for Antony’s signing. They want to strengthen their frontline further, despite the imminent arrival of Kylian Mbappe. With Gareth Bale’s contract running out and Eden Hazard likely to depart, it would bode well for the Spanish capital club to reinforce their wide areas, making Antony an option worth considering.

With Bayern Munich also in the hunt to sign Antony, it will be interesting to see where the Brazilian international ends up before next season, with Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and several others vying for his signature.