“£40m loss” – Man United set for major transfer setback if fan-favourite move materialises

According to reports, Manchester United have accepted that they will need to take a massive financial hit in order to sell Antony.

Antony, United’s second most expensive signing of all time has failed to live up to the lofty expectations placed on him after his £81 million arrival back in September of 2022.

Providing just thirteen goal contributions in his 71 appearances across all competitions, Erik ten Hag’s star signing has since seen his position on the right wing usurped by Alejandro Garnacho.

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In his latest appearance off the bench against Manchester City, Antony managed just six touches in fifteen minutes, was offside once and lost possession twice, producing a cameo appearance indicative of his entire time at Old Trafford.

Now, according to a report from Football Insider, despite Ten Hag’s continued backing of the forward, Antony’s future at the club relies very much on the future of his manager, with the Dutchman Antony’s biggest supporter at the club.

If Ten Hag is to exit the club, then United would be willing to sell Antony at a cut-price fee if there is significant interest in the Brazillian attacker – and with many fans feeling Antony has nothing much to give United as a player, him leaving Old Trafford would be a favoured move by a large portion of fans.

Despite United’s acceptance that attempting to recoup the majority of the £81 million the club spent on Antony now looks impossible, it is also believed that the club will struggle to sell the winger in any capacity.

In the report, it is noted that currently there are “no clubs” across Europe and the Middle East that would be willing to pay even half of the fee United forked out for the Brazilliam forward.

Alongside the massive fee United paid to sign Antony, there is also the matter of his expensive wages. The Red Devils are currently forking out a reported £200,000 a week on the attacker, with his contract running for the next four seasons.

The Brazillian’s jaw-dropping weekly wages make him the seventh highest-paid player at the club, placing him behind two of Ten Hag’s fellow recruits in Mason Mount (5th highest – £250,000 per week), and Casemiro (Highest at the club – £350,000 per week.)