Manchester United star 'squared up to someone' at training to force transfer last summer: Reports

Manchester United star Antony reportedly got involved in an altercation with one of his former Ajax teammates prior to his switch last summer.

Antony, 22, joined the Red Devils from Ajax for a whopping £86 million amid much fanfare on the back of his breakthrough campaign in the Eredivisie. He was a vital member of De Godenzonen's squad last season, registering 22 goal involvements in 33 overall appearances.

Apart from Antony, Manchester United also signed the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Tyrell Malacia last summer.

Speaking to The United Stand, ESPN journalist Rob Dawson shared his thoughts on the Red Devils' summer arrivals. He elaborated:

"We brought all these players in because they bring all that stuff off the field too. You speak to people like [director of football] John Murtough and people in his recruitment department and he will tell you that himself... it's not just about the players being footballers."

Shedding light on Martinez and Casemiro's signings, Dawson added:

"They love the fact that Lisandro Martinez walked into a room at Ajax and said, 'I'm going to Manchester United.' And they were like, 'No, you're not', and he was like, 'Yeah I am, see you later. I want to play for them.' They love the fact that Casemiro, even after Brentford, rang up and said, 'I'm still coming. It's alright, I'll fix this.'"

Providing insight into Antony's off-the-pitch argument, Dawson said:

"They love the fact that Antony squared up to someone at Ajax and said, 'You've got to let me go. I'm desperate to go, to play for Manchester United.' That is the kind of spirit and desire that they want from these new signings and you can see it all over the pitch now, and that's exactly what Erik ten Hag has done for us."

Antony, who has a contract until June 2027, has scored six goals and laid out one assist in 22 appearances for the Red Devils this season.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag turns attention to Barcelona-linked star: Reports

According to Mirror, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is a big admirer of Athletico Paranaense wonderkid Vitor Roque, who has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona. However, the Brazil U20 star is keener to secure a move to the Catalan giants in the near future.

Roque, 18, turned a lot of heads with his stellar outings at the South American U20 Championship last month. He registered six goals and an assist in eight matches, helping his national team lift the trophy.

So far, the left-footed forward has netted seven goals and contributed three assists in 37 appearances across all competitions for Athletico.