Man United are waiting for Ajax to hold a board meeting over Antony before making their next move

Manchester United are awaiting the outcome of a board meeting at Ajax before making their next move for winger Antony.

Ajax rejected United’s £76million bid for the Brazilian on Friday but the 22-year-old was hoping the Dutch club’s finance directors would instead see the benefit of accepting such an offer.

Antony and his agents reason that such an offer may not come again and he has pleaded for the opportunity to join United. He is refusing to train and has been left out of Sunday’s game with Utrecht.

Ajax expect United to return with another offer closer to £84m but are also looking for potential replacements. A move for Hakim Ziyech collapsed after Chelsea demanded £37m while Ajax wanted a loan. 

They have considered Roma’s Justin Kluivert who is the subject of an offer from Fulham while Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi, who is also a target for PSV Eindhoven, has also been discussed.

United believe that if Ajax can settle on a suitable replacement, the move is more likely to go ahead.

United want two forwards and a goalkeeper before Thursday’s deadline.

Ajax expect United to return with another offer closer to £84m for the Brazilian winger

United retain an interest in Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic but the Stamford Bridge club will only consider a sale not a loan.

Former United forward Memphis Depay has been offered but is not a ‘live’ target.

There remains the possibility they could lose Cristiano Ronaldo this week but at this stage say there is no change to his situation.

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti dismissed the prospect of his club signing Ronaldo yesterday. Italian media had linked United with a potential £84m swap deal for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen amid reports Jorge Mendes had held talks with the Serie A club.

However, Spalletti said: ‘If you’re asking me if I’d like to work with Ronaldo, I tell you no coach would say no to that. However, if we go into those areas the journalists like to fill in for themselves, then as Osimhen’s agent said, there are no negotiations.

Roma forward Justin Kluivert has been considered as Antony’s replacement at Ajax

‘Speaking to (President Aurelio) De Laurentiis, he told me that he received no offer, so let’s remain as realistic as possible here and take into consideration only things that could happen.

‘There are only a few days left in the transfer window, it seems unlikely that could go through. There is nothing concrete at the moment. It wouldn’t be a swap, it would be two different signings, in that case. One of the two can turn a game by himself. But in any case, at the moment we should not consider things that won’t help us pick up three points in Florence.

‘Osimhen is the one who has to be the protagonist there. With a player like Osimhen, who is so talented, we know there is the permanent risk that some rich owner around the world will wake up in the morning and decide to buy him and that includes a club like Manchester United.’

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti dismissed the prospect of his club signing Cristiano Ronaldo

United boss Erik ten Hag insisted after their win over Southampton that he still wants Ronaldo to stay and that he is happy with the strikers he currently has.

Ronaldo came off the bench in the 1-0 win and Ten Hag said: ‘We plan with him. So we want him to stay. So that is what we want.

‘We have Cristiano, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford so we are okay [for strikers].’