Ruben Amorim will take charge of his first game at Manchester United this weekend as they travel to Portman Road, and it seems the Portuguese boss has his mind made up on some players.
The Red Devils were disappointing this season, a trend that fans of the club had become accustomed to despite voicing their discontent at the team’s performances. After a torrid tenure, the side parted ways with Dutch boss Erik ten Hag and has made waves by appointing Ruben Amorim.
Ahead of the fixture, it was known to some that some of the squad at United would not be a part of the Portuguese manager’s plans when he takes over, and now it appears one player could be heading out the door in January.
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One player who has been particularly disappointing since signing has been Brazilian winger Antony, who has struggled to break into the side as of late. The winger was an expensive signing for the club, who would hope to recoup some losses, having paid £82 million from Ajax.
According to Turkish outlet A Spor, Super Lig club Besiktas are preparing to make an offer in January to take the 24-year-old on loan as they look to make up ground on rivals Galatasaray and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbache in Turkey.
That offer would likely do little to entice Manchester United, who are most likely to be well aware that the form Antony has displayed for them will not see them make anywhere close to the transfer fee that they had paid for him.
It is also unlikely that a side like Besiktas would commit to an obligation or option to buy for the winger. However, one priority would be to get the Brazilian off the books, whose salary places him in the top five earners at Old Trafford. The club have a lot of work to do to recoup losses after many of their signings have failed to impress, but the arrival of Amorim could provide new hope for some players at the club.
Meanwhile, Antony is said to be open to the possibility of leaving the club to gain more playing time, which would see him link up with a host of former Premier League stars. It is known that Manchester United are open to selling the winger, but what is unknown is just how much they could lose, which stands to be a significant loss if his form is anything to go by.
Antony does not fit into Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United plans.
The appointment of Amorim would see him bring a new style of play to Old Trafford, adopting the team in a 3-4-3 system. Reports suggest that the Brazilian has been deployed in his training sessions as a wing-back on the right-hand side, but his defensive stats are not indicative of someone who would perform well there.
Alejandro Garnacho would be a first-choice on the left-hand side, leaving little room for another attacking option, which leaves Amad Diallo among his competitors for a starting spot in the new system.
The Portuguese manager plays a high-pressing system, which means players like Casemiro would be likely to be dropped from the side, given they would not suit this system. Antony is young enough to adapt, but his poor return of 17 goal contributions across 87 appearances would do little to make a case for a role in the team.
He has been restricted in the team this season, making just five appearances and has only earned himself one start in the 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in the EFL Cup. Even Erik ten Hag, the man who signed him from his former club, Ajax, had shown little faith in him, meaning Antony’s time at United could soon be over.