£82m Is Antony’s time up? He has been one of the most frustrating acquisitions of the Premier League era for Manchester United.
Manchester United are reportedly contemplating a January transfer for Gabriel Barbosa, a striker for Flamengo and Brazil, in a deal that could result in Anthony Antony’s departure.
On Saturday, Erik ten Hag’s squad secured a late 1-0 victory at Fulham thanks to Antony’s abhorrent performance once more. Since his £82 million acquisition from Ajax last year, this transaction has begun to resemble one of the worst transfers in the history of the Premier League.
Moreover, it appears that United are contemplating the temporary sale of one of their all-time record signings.
The Mirror reports that United are willing to extend a loan agreement for Antony to Flamengo in return for Gabriel.
It is reported that the 27-year-old, who has earned 18 Brazil caps, is available for £20 million, as his contract expires at the end of 2024.
Gabriel had a brief stint in European football with Inter Milan, having joined the San Siro in the summer of 2016. However, he was unable to make the cut and, following a series of loan stints, made the permanent switch to Flamengo in January 2020.
Gabriel, who won the Olympic gold medal with Brazil in 2016, assisted Flamengo in winning the Copa Libertadores in 2019 (during his loan from Inter) and 2022.
He earned the moniker “hero” by securing a 2-1 victory over River Plate in the 2019 final through a dramatic late brace, and then by scoring the lone goal in the 2022 final against Athletico Paranaense.
West Ham made an attempt to acquire Gabriel in January of the previous year; however, their intended transfer to the Premier League was unsuccessful.
Given that Antony’s contract at Old Trafford expires at the conclusion of the 2026/27 season, United appears to have no choice but to pursue him on loan at this juncture.
The 23-year-old has had a challenging first few months of the 2023/24 season, requiring him to take a leave of absence in September to address allegations of domestic abuse.