Manchester United in talks to get rid of £80m flop: report

Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth.
Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United's post-2013 transfer record has perhaps the worst success-to-failure ratio of any elite club in Europe, splashing record fees on players who consistently underperform to catastrophic levels.

Angel Di Maria, Jadon Sancho, Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba have all arrived for fees north of £60 million and each failed to live up to expectations before leaving on increasingly sour notes.

With the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos-led sporting structure above Erik ten Hag, hopes have been restored that recruitment can start to show signs of improvement as the Red Devils deal with the remaining fallout of a torrid decade of decisions.

Manchester United in talks to get rid of one of Erik ten Hag's biggest failures as boss

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag has played a big role in the club's transfer business since his arrival (Image credit: Getty Images)

Erik ten hag himself isn't devoid of criticism, having overseen a number of underwhelming arrivals under his leadership with Antony and Mason Mount both failing to deliver despite the collective £140 million outlay.

Antony in particular has drawn plenty of frustration from the Old Trafford faithful, threatening to excite in his first few appearances before a downturn in performances and off-field issues appeared to derail his United career.

Manchester United winger Antony reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on November 1, 2023 in Manchester, England.

Antony has come under fire for his performances (Image credit: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

The Brazilian international has managed just 17 goal involvements from 86 appearances since his move from Ajax, while his remarkable one-footedness has baffled pundits over the past two years.

Despite ten Hag's relentless faith in the winger, it now appears the club are ready to part ways with the 24-year-old having firmly lost his place in the starting line-up in the early knockings of this season.

According to GOAL Brazil, the club are eyeing potential loan destinations for Antony with a view to securing a permanent move away from the club next summer.

The report claims Antony is looking to stay in Europe despite rumoured interest from clubs back in his homeland, while Real Betis were reportedly interested in the wide man last summer.

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United began a series of ruthless departures over the summer as the newly implemented sporting structure overhaul the underperforming squad, with Jadon Sancho, Scott McTominay and Aaron Wan Bissaka all departing despite their lofty squad status in the seasons prior.

Manchester United take on West Ham United this weekend when Premier League action returns.

James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League.