Antony of Ajax is supposed to be one of Man United's main transfer targets this summer, but there's one Bundesliga player who may be the perfect replacement.
Ajax's Antony and Bayern's Gnabry
Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Ajax winger Antony, according to reports. This season, the dynamic forward has been one of the Dutch champions' standout attackers, scoring ten goals and adding nine assists across all competitions.
With Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial poised to leave the club, we know United will be looking for at least one new forward this summer. The signing of Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford might give them a major advantage in the race to sign Antony, however competition is expected to be fierce with Liverpool and Newcastle also interested.
Should United fail to sign the 22-year-old, it would be prudent for them to compile a list of similar options. While United authorities would have their own complicated recruitment system in place to carry out such a task, we at Mirror Football have used Fbref's amazing player comparison tool to find the players that statistically most closely resemble Antony.
Surprisingly, according to the statistics experts, the most similar player to Antony is explosive Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry.
The 26-year-old has been the focus of conjecture for months, following claims in February that he was hesitant to sign a new contract with the German champions. The attacker is said to feel undervalued at the club in comparison to other players his age group, and is eager to move somewhere where he can play a more prominent role.
Bayern has responded by offering him a better take-it-or-leave-it contract, but he appears unlikely to accept it at the moment, meaning the German international may go this summer for a nominal fee or risk losing him for nothing in the next 12 months.
United should take advantage of this position, as the former Arsenal man might have a huge impact on United's offense next season under Ten Hag.
Gnabry has Premier League experience, albeit he never lived up to his full potential at Arsenal, where he began his career. He began his career after joining Werder Bremen in 2016, where he excelled and scored 11 Bundesliga goals.
Bayern swooped in a year later, loaning him to Hoffenheim for a season before upgrading him to a vital member of their squad for the 2018/19 season.
(Photo courtesy of Getty/Bundesliga Collection)
In only 171 games for the Bavarians, the 26-year-old has a phenomenal 104 goal contribution. He's established himself as a deadly and flexible attacker capable of playing a variety of roles.
He's able to do so because to his lightning speed and talent, both of which are enhanced by his ability to properly use both feet. If he's on the left, he'll usually drive at a defense before cutting in into his more natural right foot and shooting at goal, whereas on the right, he'll be more concerned with turning provider for his teammates.
Gnabry's goal total is impressive on its own, but comparing it to his xG over the course of his career in Germany reveals just how precise a finisher he is. Gnabry has 67 goals in the Bundesliga in his six years there. His xG at the moment, according to Wyscout, was only 49.26.
This practically indicates he's scored 17 more goals than would be expected based on the quality of shooting opportunities he's had. His ability to finish could be a significant factor for his desire to play in more central situations, something he feels he hasn't had enough of at Bayern.
United may provide him with this opportunity, and his versatility to play a variety of attacking roles might be extremely useful to them throughout next season. The Red Devils would benefit greatly from this move.
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