When Antony scored just 35 minutes into his Manchester United debut, Erik ten Hag must have felt a feeling of justification.
The former United manager had championed the pursuit of the Brazilian winger, determined to put his own stamp on the club’s wide options even though the Reds had spent big on Jadon Sancho the previous summer. However, Sancho struggled for form in his maiden season at Old Trafford, scoring just five goals in 38 appearances, and Ten Hag felt Antony was the answer.
Boasting three goals in his first six United appearances meant it felt as though United had made the right call to back Ten Hag. Antony’s early numbers were encouraging and he was still adapting to life in a new country. Patience was the very least he deserved.
Yet many United fans and journalists alike felt the club was paying an astronomical amount of money for a man that had never played in one of Europe’s top five leagues. Shelling out €95million up front, with a further €5m due in add-ons, was a huge gamble.
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