Manchester United have suffered a series of transfer failures over the past decade, with the €100m move to bring Antony from Ajax to Old Trafford being the most high-profile example of costly mistakes and poor management.
Clubs have a tendency to raise the price of players when the Red Devils show interest, a phenomenon known as the "Manchester United tax". In fact, the Manchester club have created this problem themselves by being willing to pay more than necessary.
When Antony was still playing for Ajax, Man United's scouting team valued this player at only 25 million Euros. However, under pressure from Erik ten Hag, the Old Trafford team raised the price to 100 million Euros, 4 times the original value.
In the summer of 2022, after Ten Hag took over the club, Man United struggled from the very first matches. Two consecutive defeats against Brighton and Brentford caused panic among the team's management. Meanwhile, Ten Hag affirmed that Antony was an important piece in his tactical plan.
With CEO Edwin van der Sar's toughness, Ajax seized the opportunity to push the price to a record high. Instead of withdrawing to find another option, Man United gave in and accepted the Dutch team's request. They agreed to pay an additional 35 million Euros in the final days of the transfer window to recruit Antony.
Antony made an impressive debut with a goal against Arsenal, helping Man United win 3-1. However, that was only a rare flash of light in his career at Old Trafford. To date, Antony has only scored 5 goals and 3 assists in 62 Premier League games.
The 24-year-old's form has disappointed fans. Antony has often lost possession, failed to get past defenders and lacked creativity. Negative images such as the 360-degree turn and the ball out of play against Sheriff Tiraspol have become an embarrassment.
Off-field issues have also made things worse. Antony is under investigation for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Although the case in Brazil has been closed, the investigation in England is ongoing. These troubles have further undermined his form and the team's confidence in him.
The Antony deal not only failed professionally but also caused a huge financial loss for Man United. After 3 years of the contract, the remaining value of the Brazilian star on the books is 30 million Euros. However, selling him at this price is impossible, especially when considering the sky-high salary that the striker born in 2000 is receiving.
If Man United are forced to sell Antony for less, they will suffer a loss of more than 10 million Euros in their financial reports. This puts the club in a situation where they have to sell promising young talents such as Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho to balance the budget.
The failure of the Antony deal is not an isolated case. It is the product of a decade of mistakes in the transfer strategy of the club's board. Many contracts worth a lot of money but have not met expectations such as Angel Di Maria, Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba and most recently Casemiro.
While other big teams like Liverpool or Man City build their squads based on careful and precise calculations, Man United are often hasty, lack planning and are dominated by short-term pressure.
To return to their original position, the “Red Devils” need to build a long-term strategy, focusing on developing young talent and finding more reasonable contracts. Most importantly, the team needs to avoid decisions based on emotions and external pressure.
Antony may be just one of many mistakes but if nothing changes, Man United risk continuing to be stuck in a vicious cycle of failure.
