Erik Ten Hag Dismisses Leverkusen Move For Antony—For Now

Bayer Leverkusen manager Erik ten Hag has dismissed rumors about signing Manchester United’s Antony. Though he praised Antony and mentioned their close bond, Ten Hag stated there is no plan to bring him to Leverkusen right now.

WHAT WAS SAID?

At a press conference, Ten Hag was asked about rumors of Antony joining his new team. He said: “He has great quality. I signed him twice. He was like a son to me; he still is a son to me. We’re not interested in him at the moment, but we’ll see what happens in the future.” His comments came after reports that Leverkusen might want Antony, following exits of star players Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN’S SITUATION

Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga last season and face Champions League football, but must adjust to the exits of manager Xabi Alonso and key players. The team signed Jarell Quansah from Liverpool for £30 million plus £5 million in bonuses, as confirmed by a recent report detailing their transfer activities. Ten Hag took over for the departed Alonso and is tasked with keeping Leverkusen competitive. While some believed Antony could head to Leverkusen, Ten Hag has dismissed that notion for now.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT?

Antony’s future is uncertain, especially as Man United hope to raise cash and his value sits at £50 million. He improved his stock with nine goals and two assists in 26 matches for loan club Betis, according to prior reports. However, as United’s new boss Ruben Amorim shapes his own squad, Antony may have to look elsewhere if he is to leave. As for Leverkusen, they begin their new league season against Hoffenheim and will be hopeful of closing the gap to previous season’s leaders Bayern Munich.