Man Utd ‘complete idiots’ if £40m star returns to old club in ‘highest order loss of face’

Manchester United have been told they would “look like complete idiots” if they let £86m flop Antony return to former club Ajax in January or next summer.

The Red Devils had their pants pulled down by Ajax during the 2022 summer transfer window as they were made to pay around £86m to sign Brazil international Antony .

The 24-year-old previously shone under head coach Erik ten Hag at Ajax and the Dutchman was keen to reunite with the winger at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag will regret his decision to bring Antony with him as the flashy forward has been a huge flop at Man Utd.

Last season, he only grabbed two goal involvements in his 29 Premier League appearances and he’s slipped down the pecking order this term.

Antony has only been on the pitch for 27 minutes in the Premier League this season and he’s being heavily linked with a move elsewhere.

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Earlier this week, a report from The Daily Mail claimed Man Utd are ‘open’ to offloading Antony and he could ‘go out on loan in January’.

‘Manchester United are open to letting their £86million winger Antony go out on loan in January to help secure a permanent move for the Brazilian next summer.

‘United sources wouldn’t be drawn on Antony’s future, but we understands that the club would listen to offers of around £40m for the 24-year-old.

‘By sending Antony out on loan in January to get more game time elsewhere, United may be able to attract more interest in the player next summer.’

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Earlier this week, Antony was linked with a rival Premier League club a nd it’s been suggested that he could be involved in a swap deal.

Alternatively, Antony could return to Ajax, but Dutch reporter Bart Sanders believes a move to Wolves is more likely as a move back to his old club would make Man Utd look like “complete idiots”.

“The more serious media have said something about it, but Antony returns to Ajax on loan… I don’t see it happening,” Sanders said.

“Manchester United will never do this from a loss of face perspective. As a club, you look like a complete idiot if you sign someone for a hundred million euros and two years later you rent him back to his old club. That is a loss of face of the highest order, isn’t it?!

“He could easily go to FC Porto, Benfica, Wolves… There are enough other teams. Antony did very poorly at Manchester United, of course, but he also showed himself in the year that Ajax won six group matches in the Champions League.

“At Sporting Portugal, they are still sweating about it, so there will be clubs that want to rent him.”