Among the ever-growing list of questionable and failed signings for Manchester United in the past decade, Anthony has certainly cemented his place at the top.
Countless players have come, tried, and ultimately stumbled upon wearing one of the heaviest shirts in European football. For Anthony, it was his unfathomable price tag that immediately threw him into the spotlight.
United were foolish enough to pay £86m when they tried to land the Brazilian from Ajax, with Erik ten Hag insisting he wanted his former protégé at his disposal throughout his first season at Old Trafford.
Then, when he scored three goals in his first three Premier League appearances, fans were optimistic that Anthony could finally live up to his ridiculous price tag as long as he returned those goal contributions every week. However, things quickly went downhill from there.
United are prepared to cut their losses and impose sanctions on Anthony’s exit (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Anthony would go on to add just one league goal to his tally in the subsequent 22 games, leaving fans waiting six months before he finally found the back of the net again in a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in April 2023. – He scored just once in 29 appearances. In the league.
As such, it was no surprise when Ten Hag eventually admitted defeat and chose to take advantage of the other talents available to him. Alejandro Garnacho, 20, whose career remains on an upward trajectory after breaking through in 2022/23, now sits higher than his 24-year-old counterpart in the pecking order – as does Amad Diallo, 22.
According to a new report from Goal today, the Red Devils have given Anthony the green light to leave the club on loan in January, sparking interest from a few English top-flight clubs.
United intend for the striker to remain in Europe in the hope that he will raise his transfer valuation ahead of a potential permanent sale next summer, although they admit they will not recover anywhere near the money paid for him.
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