Al-Nassr move to land Manchester United outcast; offer made

Manchester United outcast Antony attracting interest from Al-Nassr

The 2024/25 season has been a graveyard of dreams for Manchester United. Finishing 15th in the Premier League was nothing short of a nightmare. Losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hostpur and then being knocked out of European competition in the 2025/26 season, all of this was embarrassing for a club of United’s stature. Ruben Amorim took charge of the team in the middle of the season, but the damage was too deep to be saved.

Now the summer window is already underway, and the club have sent a clear message by adding high-profile players like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo that it’s time to start a new era. Young players like Diogo Leon have also joined Amorim’s plans. At the same time, the process of removing players who are no longer trusted has also accelerated. Antony, on whom the club had once spent £85m, is no longer in Amorim’s plans.

A new door opens for Antony?

Antony did show some sparks during his loan spell at Real Betis, but it wasn’t enough. Now reports are coming in that Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr have made an offer to buy Antony. According to Santi Aouna via X, United are demanding at least €60m. Al-Nassr, who also want to sign Joao Felix, are making a serious bid for Antony. Amorim has made it clear that the Brazilian winger is not part of his plans.

Antony’s quality is debatable, but he has so far failed to justify his price tag at Old Trafford. Dribbling in tight spaces, cutting in and shooting, and creativity from outside the box are all his strengths. However, he has not been able to use them to their full potential in the Premier League.

It is painful to watch Antony’s situation. After spending such a large sum, we expected the 25-year-old winger to be a big contributor to the club for a long time. However, his inconsistent form and struggles in the Premier League have put him out of Amorim’s sights. The Brazilian has shown some improvement at Real Betis, but he wants to stay in Europe, and that is the biggest hurdle.

Also, Al-Nassr might not be offering €60m for Antony, given they are quite aware of the situation that we are facing with Antony, so our club demanding that amount sounds unrealistic. Moreover, Antony’s stubbornness could land us in trouble. Amorim has a clear plan—get rid of those whom you don’t trust. Selling Antony could help rebuild the team, but if he doesn’t want to go to Saudi Arabia, we need to find a club in Europe that will take him on loan and have a buy-back obligation. This will keep Antony’s value intact, and we won’t have to let him go for free.

Overall, if no European buyer comes forward, it would be wise to accept Al-Nassr’s offer. It will certainly sting that another expensive player will leave the club for a lesser price, but now decisions will have to be made based on necessity, not emotions. Also, we have to convince Antony somehow if nothing works out with European clubs.