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Hear me out, and many of you will take little persuasion, but I think that Antony might just be the worst pound-for-pound signing in Premier League history.
He cost £86m, which probably just knocks him into second place on the list of the most expensive Manchester United players of all time. Paul Pogba wins that award, and that one also didn’t work out. But at least with Pogba, there was historic evidence for it being a good signing and there was more than the odd flash of excellence.
With Antony, reports suggest that he was valued at around £25m. Which is probably about right for a 22-year-old who had scored or assisted 12 goals in the Eredivisie the season before (for a dominant team) and just broken into Brazil’s senior squad. Then, as those reports continue, Manchester United lost to Brighton and Brentford at the start of Erik ten Hag’s first season and the need for a new player went up and so did the price – by £60m!
But here’s the thing: Manchester United already had wingers. Their starting right-winger against Brighton in the opening game was Jadon Sancho, who had performed in fits and starts but in a vastly underperforming team – he cost £75m. On the bench was Alejandro Garnacho, who came on.
Also on the bench, and also brought on, was Anthony Elanga. Elanga was an academy graduate with a lofty reputation who was two years younger than Antony. Not on the bench was Amad Diallo, a winger who United had paid around £20m for to Atalanta. The deal for Antony got done. Diallo was loaned to Sunderland.
As a result – directly or indirectly – Sancho became disillusioned with Antony taking, and subsequently keeping, his place in the team. You can argue amongst yourselves about whether Sancho’s reaction was justified, but has still caused a £75m signing to be banished from the club.
As a result, Diallo had his pathway blocked and on Saturday played his first minutes since December 2021 – incredible for a £20m player.
As a result, Elanga was sold for £15m, roughly six times cheaper than Antony, and has scored or assisted 10 league goals for Nottingham Forest this season. Only four players aged 21 and under have contributed more in Europe’s top five leagues.
And for what? Antony was abject against Forest. He did not have a shot. He did not win a header. He did not create a chance. He was dispossessed four times, more than any other player on the pitch. He completed one dribble but then lost the ball anyway. He was taken off after 53 minutes and he was lucky to last that long.
But then that has become par for the course. Antony is the £86m winger who has created 16 chances in 16 league games this season, and few of those involved a piece of special skill beyond, say, Diallo. The last time that Antony contributed a goal or assist in any competition for Manchester United, it was a square pass to Anthony Martial against Wolves on 13 May 2023. The prosecution rests.
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