Manchester United splashed nearly €100 million to sign right-winger Antony from Ajax during the 2022 summer transfer window, following a strong recommendation from his former manager, Erik ten Hag.
Though Antony showed promise in the Eredivisie, he was never renowned for his goal-scoring or assisting prowess, with his best tally being 9 goals and 8 assists in the 2020/21 campaign.
Given this, it didn’t come as a shock to some skeptical fans that Antony has struggled to deliver consistent performances for Manchester United. The club has since moved on, with Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo emerging as preferred options on the right wing. Moreover, United’s recent acquisitions of Serie A talents Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee enable them to deploy a two-striker system, making Antony even more peripheral.
As even Erik ten Hag starts to realize that Antony might not be the right fit for Manchester United—or the Premier League—rumors have surfaced that the club is now open to selling him.
According to a report by Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail, Manchester United have placed a £40 million price tag on Antony. The club’s current strategy involves potentially loaning the Brazilian winger out in January, with the aim of arranging a permanent transfer next summer, similar to how they handled Jadon Sancho’s situation last year.
While Antony may find success in a league like the Bundesliga, it’s unlikely that any German clubs would be willing to pay such a steep price. Only Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund would consider such a fee, with Dortmund doing so rarely and Bayern already securing Michael Olise, a far more impactful right winger.
Therefore, Premier League sides may be the most likely candidates to gamble on Antony, although the prospect remains uncertain.
Despite Antony’s price dropping to less than half of what Manchester United initially paid, even £40 million still feels too high. Clubs like RB Leipzig, Real Betis, or Atalanta—potential landing spots for a player looking to bounce back—would be far more inclined to spend a maximum of €20 million.
Manchester United faces a tough challenge in selling Antony, but after investing €95 million in him, they now need to find a way to recoup as much as possible from the deal.
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