Ajax starlet Antony has provided Manchester United's players with an insight into what they could expect from Erik ten Hag if he was to land the managerial position at Old Trafford.
As revealed by the Manchester Evening News , Ten Hag is United's preferred candidate to become the club's next permanent manager ahead of the start of next season. Along with Mauricio Pochettino of Paris Saint-Germain, the Dutchman has been closely linked with the job for several months and is proving to be a popular choice amongst the fans.
The 52-year-old, who took over at the Johan Cruyff Arena in December 2017, has overseen a terrific job at the Dutch giants, leading them to two domestic league titles, as well as making them a force to be reckoned with in Europe. They reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019 and were just seconds away from reaching the final against Liverpool.
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Renowned for developing youth, improving players and ensuring his team plays an attractive brand of football, Ten Hag is a highly respected figure and is considered as an up and coming coach, despite being north of 50-years-old. Nevertheless, he has overseen an excellent job in his homeland and United's interest in him has certainly been justified.
And for Brazilian ace Antony, who joined Ajax in February 2020 from Sao Paulo, Ten Hag's managerial credentials have had a huge impact on his personal development. The 22-year-old has waxed lyrical about his training methods and how players progress under his watch.
"Every player under his guidance becomes a better footballer through his training," Antony told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. "Since my arrival, he has given me a lot of confidence and believed in what I can do.
"I am grateful to him for that. I respect him very much."
Although managing a club of United's stature would be a step up for Ten Hag, he has earned the opportunity. Despite that, he is remaining coy on United's interest in luring him to Old Trafford.
Speaking earlier this week, Ten Hag said: "I am just focused on this season. All energy is being put in the current squad.
"I don't think about next season. I want to get the maximum out of the current season, we can still win two trophies."
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