Paul Merson has hit out at Manchester United's £80m decision to spend Antoni and claims the club should hire Gary Neville or Rio Ferdinand to handle recruitment.
Brazilian winger Antony moved to Old Trafford in 2022 for €95 million after two promising years at Ajax.
Given his price, Manchester United hoped that Antony would develop into one of the club's most consistent players and a Premier League star.
Instead, the 24-year-old failed to repeat his best form for Manchester United, which resulted in him being dropped more frequently this season.
Merson has questioned who approved Manchester United's big-money transfer, claiming he would not be worth £40million if he were sold today.
The Arsenal legend struggles to recall any recent successful signings by Manchester United and believes the club will benefit from the contributions of club legends Neville and Ferdinand.
“There had to be a plan at the beginning of the season,” Merson told Heavenly Sports when asked about the uncertainty at the club and the analysis of Erik ten Hag's future.
“Maybe they look at it as a five-year project. United won't catch City and Arsenal in a year, so they need to be patient. It will take some time, United need to start walking again, let alone running.
The only thing that worries me is who came to this club and seems to be successful? I mean, Antony cost £80 million.
– Have you gotten up yet or have you fallen? I thought you'd fall over when I told you Antony cost £80 million! This just sums it all up.
I just don't know what they did with some of these signings. I'd put someone like Gary Neville in charge of recruiting.
Gary has spent his entire career at this club and knows football inside and out. You put someone like him in charge, even Rio Ferdinand, someone like that, or even both of them together, and you say, 'Sure, we want to build this club – what players should we bring in?'
“But the players who came in… £80m for Antony, who punished that?! I don't want to be terrible, but I watched it in the Netherlands. He comes down the wing and makes cuts inside, he did that every week in Holland.
– In the Premier League, almost every full-back is an international player and that motivates them a lot. £80 million, you can't even swallow that and get £40 million for him because you won't even get that.
Antony is yet to start a Premier League match this season and Ten Hag spoke last month admitted that his signing had to “earn the right” to play for the club.
“He's impatient,” the Manchester United manager said under pressure. He wants to have fun.
– But there are certain rules in the top football league. You choose the team that has the best chance of winning the match, the one with the best dynamics and the best chemistry. Players must fight for their positions.
“The other players are doing very well – they are contributing. He must defeat them. He has to work for it during training.
Manchester United are only 14th in the Premier League, having won only two of their opening seven games of the season.
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