Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag has ruled out the possibility of Antony leaving the Eredivisie club during the January transfer window.
The Brazilian international has been in excellent form this season, having scored five goals in 11 league games, prompting speculation about his future. Both Liverpool and Chelsea have been linked to signing the player but ten Hag says a sale next month won’t be considered:
“A departure during the winter break is unthinkable.”
Ten Hag did, however, admit it may be difficult to keep Antony at Ajax in the long term as his reputation begins to grow:
“If you play a role in the Brazilian selection, it is clear that he will be pulled… From a sporting point of view, it is clear that he is an incredible talent. He is going through an incredibly beautiful development. Especially if we perform in the Champions League, then it is clear that he will come into the spotlight and be interesting for a lot of clubs.”
The 21-year-old has been described as the “next Neymar” in some sections of the media, but there is still a long way to go before he is performing at those sorts of levels.
Antony has made a big impact for both club and country so far this campaign, but he will need to show more consistency before the likes of Liverpool make a move for him.
