Swap deal? Man Utd eye £60m swoop for PL star as £85m flop could head in other direction

Man Utd are keen on bringing Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze to Old Trafford with Crystal Palace having an interest in Antony, according to reports.

The Red Devils made five signings in the summer transfer window with Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui all joining.

Despite an influx of new players, Man Utd have made a terrible start to the new season with Erik ten Hag’s side taking just eight points from seven Premier League matches.

Man Utd are floundering in 14th in the Premier League with pressure building on Ten Hag before the international break as rumours about potential replacements ramp up.

INEOS’ first transfer window hasn’t garnered results on the pitch so far and they are already planning to improve the team in the next couple of transfer windows.

Man Utd have looked blunt going forward this term and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano (via Caught Offside ) claims that Crystal Palace’s Eze is someone the Red Devils ‘still have an interest in’.

Romano has confirmed that Eze’s £60m release clause is still valid with Crystal Palace ‘at real risk of losing the 26-year-old’ over the next couple of transfer windows.

Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle are all also believed to be interested in a move for Eze – but Man Utd could have a secret weapon in their arsenal as they look to tempt Palace to do a deal .

Caught Offside claim that Man Utd ‘have decided to let Antony go in the upcoming January transfer window’ with Crystal Palace one of the suitors, which could see a potential swap deal between the clubs.

Antony’s former club Ajax are also ‘open to bringing him back for a second spell’ with ‘the 24-year-old is available on loan or a permanent transfer’.

The report adds: ‘Newcastle and Crystal Palace are both keen to strengthen in attack this January, sources have told CaughtOffside , and it seems Antony is a name they would consider.’

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Antony joined Man Utd in a deal which could reportedly rise to £85m and Paul Merson has called on the Red Devils to bring in club legends Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand to guard against making the same recruitment mistakes again.

Merson said on Sky Sports : “There must have been a plan at the start of the season.

“Maybe they’re looking at it like a five-year project. United aren’t going to catch City and Arsenal in a year so they have to be patient. It’s going to take time, United need to start walking again never mind running.

“The one thing that worries me is who has come into that club and looks like a success? I mean, Antony was £80m.

“Have you picked yourself up yet or have you fallen over? I thought you’d fall over when I said Antony was £80m! That just sums it all up. I just don’t know what they’ve done with some of these transfers. I would have put someone like Gary Neville in charge of the recruitment.

“Gary has been at that club all his career, and he knows football from the inside out. You put someone like him in charge, even Rio Ferdinand, someone like that or even both of them together, and you go ‘right, we want to build this club – what players should we be bringing in?'”