Former Arsenal player Samir Nasri has defended Man United’s decision to pay €95 million for Brazilian star Antony.
The winger was acquired from Ajax at the end of the transfer window for a sum almost three times his market value, according to transfermarkt.com.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/antony/profil/spieler/602105
But speaking to canal+ in France, via Maxifoot and Sport Witness, Nasri insisted it was good business by United.
““I saw him last year in the Champions League,” the former France international said.
“He’s one of my darlings. I really like the player. He’s very technical, always taking risks. I heard a lot that they overpaid for him and that he’s a panic buy. For me, that’s not the case.
“He’s a talented player and he’s back with a manager he knows well.
“When you see that Ousmane Dembélé was bought for €120m by Barcelona when he’d barely blown up at Rennes and Dortmund, I find that normal.
“It’s the price and value of players nowadays. That’s how it is.”
Antony took just 35 minutes of his united career to start repaying United’s outlay, scoring the first goal in his side’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal with a coolly taken finish.
Manager Erik ten Hag’s decision to put him straight into the side having only had two days of training was rewarded.
At 22 years of age, the Brazil international has plenty of time to develop and clearly Ten hag has seen something in him at ajax that made him determine to land his man, whatever the cost.
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