August 31st 2024.
Rio Ferdinand, a former player and current football pundit, recently shared his thoughts on Manchester United's transfer window. According to Ferdinand, the club would likely be open to selling struggling winger Antony and signing a new player, specifically Ajax's Erik ten Hag.
Despite speculation that Antony could leave the club during the summer transfer window, he remains at Old Trafford. The Brazilian was signed for a hefty fee of £80m in 2022, but has yet to find his form with the team. In fact, he was not even included in the starting lineup for United's first Premier League match against Fulham, and only played a few minutes in their recent loss to Brighton.
During that brief time on the pitch, Antony was criticized for his role in Brighton's winning goal, and was even called out by TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole. Ferdinand, agreeing with Cole's assessment, stated on his YouTube channel that Antony is exactly the type of player that Manchester United would "love" to offload.
Ferdinand also mentioned United's recent transfer signings, including Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, and Manuel Ugarte, and how these players would still hold value in the market even if they don't work out for the team. This has been a problem for United in the past, as they have struggled to recoup funds for high-profile signings that didn't pan out.
One such example is Antony, who has failed to impress at Old Trafford. However, despite his poor form, manager Ten Hag reportedly blocked him from leaving the club on transfer deadline day. La Liga side Real Betis even made loan offers for Antony and United midfielder Christian Eriksen, but were turned down.
As United prepare to face Liverpool in their next match, it remains to be seen if Antony will be given another chance to prove himself. But with four wingers now ahead of him in the pecking order, it seems unlikely that the club will be able to recoup the £80m they spent on him if they were to sell him now.
Overall, it seems that United have learned from their past mistakes and are making more calculated signings with the potential for resale value. Only time will tell if these new additions will prove to be successful for the team.
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