Premier League Clubs Eyeing Antony Departure
Manchester United appear ready to cut ties with Antony, accepting that the winger has failed to live up to expectations since his high-profile arrival in 2022. In the final stages of Erik ten Hag’s first transfer window, United shelled out an astonishing £82 million for Antony, who had impressed in the Eredivisie under Ten Hag at Ajax. The Dutchman seemed eager to bring in players he had previously worked with, as seen with signings such as Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui, all of whom were familiar to him from his time at Ajax. Despite the substantial price tag, Antony struggled to make a significant impact, retaining the backing of Ten Hag for much of his debut season but failing to deliver consistently. The Brazilian started 23 Premier League matches during the 2022/23 campaign, but his lack of output became a growing concern for both the manager and supporters.
By the following season, it became clear that Ten Hag’s patience was wearing thin. Antony gradually lost his place in the starting lineup to Alejandro Garnacho, who, at 20, was outperforming his senior teammate. Antony’s starting appearances dropped to just 15, with 14 more coming as a substitute. He was left on the bench for United’s final two fixtures of the season. This trend has continued into the current campaign, with Antony featuring in only two of United’s first seven matches: a brief one-minute cameo against Brighton and a 26-minute stint during the draw at Villa Park before the international break. If Antony chooses to stay in the Premier League, there are reportedly two potential suitors ready to negotiate. According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are both eager to strengthen their attacking options in the January transfer window and have identified Antony as a possible target. Meanwhile, Ajax are also considering a move to bring the winger back to Amsterdam, potentially offering him a fresh start.
Hojlund Raises Questions After Missing Training
As the international break unfolded, Manchester United closely monitored their players’ performances ahead of this weekend’s return to Premier League action. Several key players, including Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Noussair Mazraoui, had to withdraw from their national teams due to fitness concerns. Mazraoui, who underwent a minor heart procedure after experiencing palpitations, will be sidelined for a few weeks.
Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen, meanwhile, were both called up for Denmark’s UEFA Nations League double-header, with Hojlund featuring in the final stages of Denmark’s 1-0 defeat to Spain. The United forward, recently back from a lengthy hamstring injury, played just 12 minutes in the match. Following his cameo, Danish outlet Bold reported that Hojlund sat out Denmark’s subsequent training session, raising concerns about his fitness. Despite manager Kasper Hjulmand’s assurance that Hojlund was fully fit, his absence from the session has caused some unease, particularly given his injury struggles since joining United from Serie A in 2023. It remains to be seen whether Hojlund will feature in Denmark’s clash with Switzerland, but his fitness will be a crucial factor as United prepare to face Brentford on Saturday.
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