Amorim must sell Man Utd dud who’s worse than Zirkzee

Manchester United’s form in the Premier League during 2024/25 has been a wake-up call to many in and around the club, with the current crop of players simply not at the level required for England’s top flight.

The run of four consecutive losses and a 14th place standing in the division has demonstrated that the £600m spent in the last three years has been a huge waste of money, with serious questions needing to be asked.

Erik ten Hag oversaw all the additions during his tenure as Red Devils manager, before being sacked and leaving new boss Ruben Amorim to pick up the pieces as a result.

The 39-year-old has been unable to get the best out of the side, desperately needing to put his own stamp on the squad if they are to progress and get themselves out of the current predicament.

As a result, brutal calls need to be made on numerous players, including one who could be about to bring his unsuccessful chapter at Old Trafford to a close in January.

Offer made for big-money Manchester United flop

According to reports out in Spain, Real Betis have made contact with the agents of Brazilian winger Antony over a potential loan deal to join the LaLiga side.

The 24-year-old, who cost £86m in the summer of 2022, has only made 11 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring just once against League One Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.

Despite the initial offer being for Antony to move on a loan deal, the report does state there could be an option down the line to make any transfer permanent come the end of the campaign.

It also claims that the Red Devils hierarchy are open to cutting their losses and offloading the former Ajax man should they receive a satisfactory offer – potentially ending his dismal stay in England.

Given the current cost-cutting operation at Old Trafford, it would be wise to allow him to leave, even on a temporary basis, but pivotal that Manuel Pellegrini’s side pay a sizeable contribution of his £200k-per-week wages.

However, he might not be the only United player to depart in the coming weeks, with one player’s future looking increasingly uncertain after Monday’s defeat against Newcastle.

How Antony compares to Zirkzee in 2024/25

Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee was another player who arrived at Old Trafford with big expectations, costing £36.5m from Italian side Bologna during the most recent summer window.

The 23-year-old has since struggled for consistent form, scoring just four times in 27 appearances across all competitions, with three of those coming in the Premier League.

However, he was dragged off after just over half an hour in the latest league outing, failing to take advantage of his recall, with Amorim switching things up after two early goals from the visitors.

Such a decision could spell the end of his United career in January, with the new manager evidently having little trust in the attacker to turn around a game when the Red Devils’ backs are against the wall.

As for Antony, his time at Old Trafford has also been a disaster, scoring just 12 times in 93 appearances, dropping down the pecking order, even under boss Ten Hag, who brought him to England after their stint together in the Netherlands.

The former United boss dubbed the winger as “unstoppable” after his move to the club, but the supporters have been starved any real quality during his spell in the North West.

Since the appointment of Amorim, he’s only started twice, neither of which have come in the Premier League, subsequently having to settle for minutes in various cup competitions.

He’s been utilised as a substitute on five occasions, totalling just 86 minutes, with the likes of Amad Diallo now preferred to the big-money addition in attacking areas.

Given his steady decline in minutes and lack of impact since his transfer, it’s about time the hierarchy cut their losses on Antony and allow him to move on and resurrect his once-promising career.

A potential move to Real Betis could be on the cards, but the club need to cooperate with the Spanish side to ensure there’s a strong opportunity that a temporary move can be made permanent in the summer to allow for fresh investment for Amorim in the summer.