After just the first 12 months of Antony’s five-year Manchester United contract, fans knew the club had made a grave oversight in their deal.
The £86 million acquisition is on course to cement his place as one of the most dire transfers in the club’s history, having done nothing to justify his eye-watering price tag in his first two seasons at Old Trafford.
You can probably count on one hand the number of performances where Antony has actually impressed – and three of those came when he scored in each of his first three matches for the club. After that, it only went downhill.
Now, having lost his place in the starting 11 to 20-year-old counterpart Alejandro Garnacho, Antony faces somewhat of an uncertain future at United.
INEOS chiefs are well aware that sanctioning Antony’s exit will be a considerable stain on the financial records, given that they’ll recuperate nowhere near the money forked out for him in 2022.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. decide it’s time to part ways with Antony
As such, TeamTalk sources claim that they’re willing to cut their losses with the Brazilian and move him on for as little as £25m – £61m less than what the Ajax board valued him at two years ago.
United are keen on adding Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah to the ranks this summer after he was bizarrely omitted from Enzo Maresca’s pre-season tour squad and is therefore expected to leave Stamford Bridge before deadline day.
With the defender also valued at £25m, offloading Antony would free up the funds to meet the Blues’ price tag.
Yet, the club harbours concerns that finding any takers for the 24-year-old is a significant task in itself.
I’ll bet the Ajax Board are still rolling around on the floor, gasping 86 million, Eighty….six….MILLION.
Still, better to admit you walked through the wrong door, than to spend your life in the wrong room.