MY ACCOUNT
Manchester United broke the bank to sign Antony from Ajax — but the Brazilian sensation is already proving his worth.
The Red Devils’ £82million man got his Premier League career off to the perfect start when opening the scoring in a debut 3-1 victory over Arsenal.
And that performance has raised hopes that he can be the missing piece of Erik ten Hag’s puzzle at Old Trafford.
Ahead of this evening’s Europa League trip to Moldova to face FC Sheriff, we take a look at the impact that Antony can have this season.
Weighty price tag
There were a few eyebrows raised when United made Antony their second-most expensive signing ever after French midfielder Paul Pogba (£89.3m).
The 22-year-old has only played three seasons in Europe, having joined Ajax from Sao Paulo in the summer of 2020.
His best Eredivisie campaign came in 2020-21 when he contributed nine goals and eight assists — though last term saw him score 10 times and register nine assists across all competitions.
Though Antony is undoubtedly a prodigious talent, his price tag is certainly on the high side for a player whose end product has not always been consistent.
Champions League pedigree
Judging whether an Eredivisie star is ready for the Premier League can be a challenging task — and plenty of players from the Netherlands have struggled with the step up in quality.
But United will have looked closely at Antony’s Champions League performances for Ajax, with the Brazilian having made a significant mark on the competition in 2021-22.
The forward scored twice and chipped in with two assists as the Dutch giants took Group C by storm — winning every match and netting 20 times.
His displays against the likes of Sporting and Borussia Dortmund were solid indications that the dynamic forward is ready for England’s top tier.
Digging into the data
Antony also posted some impressive underlying numbers during Ajax’s charge to the Champions League last 16 last season.
Only seven players registered more shots per 90 minutes than his 4.06, while his attempted (28.23) and completed (22.62) passes into the final third were both inside the competition’s top seven performers.
And Ten Hag will have been particularly impressed by the nine-cap international’s defensive work — winning back possession 1.72 times per 90 in the attacking third of the pitch.
Just three players managed more regains in 2021-22.
More to come
United manager Ten Hag was glowing in his assessment of Antony after his contribution against Arsenal, suggesting that he has the potential to become a top Premier League performer.
The Dutchman said: “You can see all of his potential. He will be a threat in the Premier League.
“We were missing a player on the right wing. [Jadon] Sancho and [Marcus] Rashford can play there but they prefer the left so now we have the missing link who can play well on the right.
“We needed that on the right wing with his pace and dribbles and expression. The Premier League is going to be a challenge for him but we saw his potential.
“We have to keep pushing. I set high standards every day. Everyone has to bring it every day to Carrington.”
Back down to earth?
Despite his excellent debut, Antony struggled to match those high standards next time out against Real Sociedad.
The Red Devils’ No21 was on the periphery for much of that frustrating encounter and was ultimately substituted on 71 minutes, despite United trailing 1-0.
Finding consistency will now be key for the winger if he is to live up to his price tag and take Ten Hag’s side back to the Premier League’s summit.
