At the conclusion of the 2021–22 season, Manchester United signed Antony for a reported £85.5 million. According to Gary Neville, the Glazer family, not Erik ten Hag, was in charge of the move.
His remarks followed criticism of the Brazilian on social media following United’s 3-0 loss to rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
The 23-year-old entered the game in the 86th minute, but at that point, United was behind by three goals, so he didn’t really have an impact. After the game, Neville referred to Antony’s kicking of Man City’s Jeremy Doku as “embarrassing” and gave him a yellow card for it.
Several people expressed disapproval of Anthony’s performance online, including Sunday Times writer Jonathan Northcroft, who said that Anthony was “not good enough to start” despite being “Man United’s second most expensive signing.”
Phil McNulty responded, saying, “No one can blame the Glazers for that. Anthony cost Manchester United £80 million.” Ten Hag and United overpaid horribly on this one.
On X (formerly Twitter), however, former United defender Neville shared his thoughts on those assertions. He claimed that Man United’s owners were actually accountable for signing the Brazilian in August 2022 and that they had “panicked.”
“Hellо, Phil,” he replieԀ. “I unԀerstаnԀ whаt yоu’re sаying, but whо Ԁо yоu blаme if the kiԀs keep аsking fоr sоmething аnԀ the pаrents keep writing the cheque?”аn оverview оf аntоny. The club wаs in typicаl reаctive pаnic mоԀe аfter оur lоsses tо Brightоn аnԀ BrentfоrԀ, hаving аpprоveԀ аnԀ sаiԀ “yes” tо Cаsemirо аnԀ аntоny.
The Glаzers аre sоlely tо blаme fоr their tоtаl feаr аnd lаck оf initiаtive! They’ve been dоing this fоr а decаde. Pаnic, CR7 [Cristiаnо Rоnаldо] tо City. Pаnic аnd аlexis [Sаnchez] tо City.
Following his tenure under Ten Hag at Ajax, Man United quickly acquired the winger, who finished the 2021–22 Eredivisie season with 12 goals in 33 games across all competitions.
It happened after United finished the season with five straight losses—two of which were away from home, to Brighton (4-0) and Crystal Palace (1-0).
Along with Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia, and Lisandro Martinez, Antony joined that summer for a total estimated cost of £215.1 million.
He continued, “Ajax couldn’t believe we’d offered that money [for Antony].”
Deals are approved by directors and owners. While I acknowledge that Antony needs to improve, there was never a bargain to be made in those circumstances.
Neville’s remarks coincide with a barrage of criticism aimed at the Glazer family as the team faces mounting issues, ranging from their league form—they have won five of their last ten games—to the state of the roof at Old Trafford, which has been observed to be leaking in recent weeks.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who just acquired a minority interest in the team, expressed doubts about the club’s choice to acquire Casemiro.
In contrast, Antony has made a total of nine appearances for the team but has not managed to record a goal or an assist.