Surprise Premier League club move ahead of Manchester United in race to sign La Liga star: Reports
Aston Villa have moved a step ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Oihan Sancet from Athletic Bilbao, according to a report by CaughtOffside. It is also understood that Villa's hierarchy is undecided whether or not to meet the Spaniard's release clause.
In the 2024-25 campaign, Sancet has had a brilliant start, scoring five goals in 12 games for Athletic Bilbao. As an attacking midfielder, his goalscoring attribute is impressive, putting him on the radar of some Premier League clubs.
Aston Villa manager Unia Emery believes Sancet would be perfect in the Premier League. His potential signing is also seen as a significant step in the club's future.
Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim could be looking to enhance the creativity at Old Trafford. Hence, Manchester United's interest in signing Sancet.
Regarding his versatility, Sancet is primarily an attacking midfielder. But he could also feature as a central midfielder. Hence, it can be said that his versatility in midfield could benefit the Red Devils.
A major dilemma in this potential deal could be the reported €80 million release clause set by Bilbao for Sancet. The Spaniard is contracted at Bilbao until June 2032, making this potential transfer complex for both Aston Villa and Manchester United.
Antony has no intention of leaving Manchester United in January 2025 - Reports
Antony's agent Junior Pedroso has said the Brazilian has no intention of leaving Old Trafford in the forthcoming transfer window, according to journalist Jorge Nicola (via The Hard Tackle).
In the ongoing 2024-25 campaign, Antony has struggled for minutes (only 155) on the pitch. This has seen him register only five appearances across all competitions, scoring one goal. Similarly, his lack of game time has moved him down the pecking order in the right wing, as Amad Diallo is ahead of him in the position.
However, Antony has an opportunity to redeem himself under the new head coach Ruben Amorim. It will be interesting to see if he will improve in the coming months.